I see a combination of both outcomes discussed in this thread for this matchup. Khan would have a UD victory in progress, winning all rounds through 7 and getting caught in a corner and getting stopped halfway through 8 by Kirkland (TKO). There's just no way he would be able to sustain the form he would need for 12 rounds.
khan doesn't have the strength to keep kirkland off of him for an entire 12 rounds, and james kirkland hits hard, not one punch knockout, every time out hard, but he definitely hits pretty hard, and khan's chin absolutely cannot survive multiple shots from kirkland, and there's no doubt that kirkland would eventually get to the inside and rip khan with shots to the head and body.
Kirkland's relentless pressure would eventually induce Khan into a defensive mistake and would likely result in a brutal stoppage.
Kirkland is all wrong for khan... just too much pressure and power...if khan thought that maidana or prescott punched hard, he's in a rude awakening vs Kirkland... :deal :good