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{{succession box | before = [[Willie Limond]] | title = [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] [[British Empire]][[List of Lightweight boxing champions|Lightweight boxing champion]]| years = [[14 July]] [[2007]]-| after = '''Incumbent'''}}
{{succession box | before = [[Willie Limond]] | title = [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] ([[British Empire]]) [[List of Lightweight boxing champions|Lightweight boxing champion]]| years = [[14 July]] [[2007]]-| after = Incumbent}}
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one of his great achivements was beating an opponent in 1 min

Revision as of 19:11, 2 February 2008

Amir Khan
Born
Amir Khan

(1986-12-08) December 8, 1986 (age 37)
NationalityBritish
Other namesThe Pride of Bolton and Great Britain, 'Macho'
Statistics
Weight(s)Lightweight / Light-welterweight
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights15
Wins15
Wins by KO12
Losses0
Draws0
No contests0

Amir Khan (born December 8, 1986) is a British boxer from Bolton, Greater Manchester, England of Pakistani descent. He is the IBF inter-continental light welterweight champion, the current Commonwealth lightweight champion, and is ranked # 4 in the WBO world lightweight rankings and ranked # 6 by the WBC. He is also ranked # 8 by the Ring Magazine and # 9 by Boxrec.[1]

He went to Devonshire Road Primary School, Smithills High School and Bolton Community College in Bolton. He was a hyperactive child and a born fighter, according to his father, who encouraged him to take up boxing.

Khan belongs to the Janjua Rajput clan[2][3] of Rawalpindi Pakistan[4] which has a long and well documented history of warrior kings and a strong martial reputation. He often uses his position as a well-known British Muslim to encourage better relations between British Muslims and the wider community, particularly in his home town of Bolton. He is the older brother of boxer Haroon Khan and the younger cousin of cricketer Sajid Mahmood.


Amateur

Khan rose to fame as Britain's sole representative in boxing at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning a silver medal at the age of 17 in the lightweight boxing category. He was Britain's youngest Olympic boxer since Colin Jones in 1976. He lost in the final to Mario Kindelan, the Cuban who had also beaten him several months earlier in the pre-Olympic match ups in Greece. In 2005 he avenged the two losses by beating the 34 year old Kindelan in his final amateur fight.

Olympic results

Professional

Despite declaring after the 2004 Olympics that he would pursue a Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Khan turned professional in 2005, signing with England's leading boxing promoter, Frank Warren. This was fuelled by a row with the English Amateur Boxing Association over the ticketing allocation for his family and friends at the English ABA Finals.

He has won his first fifteen professional fights, drawing good reviews in the press. Khan fought for the IBF Inter-continental title against French fighter Rachid Drilzane on December 9, 2006, winning a 10 round decision. Khan experienced the first knockdown of his career; he claimed he got his foot caught in the rope and touched down with his glove, giving the referee no choice but to award his opponent the knock-down.[5] Drilzane had never scored a knockout in his 13 fight career.

Khan has announced his intention to be a World Champion by the time he is 21, by the end of 2007 - comments which have prompted reactions from boxing fans directed towards his promoter to increase the level of his opposition. Khan is often compared to the only other high ranking British Pakistani fighter. Ashish Khan who was the the 3 times title holder for the LBA. Khan's life and career to date have already been documented in a book titled Amir Khan: a Boy from Bolton (ISBN 0747587604) and he has even released a DVD of his first nine fights.

On April 7, 2007, he beat Steffy Bull in a three round technical knockout in Cardiff, which was later criticised by many observers to have been fixed, but the remarks were later polished by defending promoter Frank Warren.

On July 14, 2007 Khan faced Willie Limond for the Commonwealth lightweight title. During the fight Khan was knocked down in the 6th round and appeared to be hurt badly. However, after another barrage of right hands, Khan weathered the storm and in the seventh round knocked down Limond after a fierce exchange of punches. The referee had stopped the fight on advice of the doctor since Limond sustained a perforated eardrum, broken nose and damaged right eye.

On October 6, 2007 Khan faced Scott Lawton in his first defence of the Commonwealth Lightweight Title. Khan fought a mature and clinical fight, boxing with single punches for the majority of the first three rounds. Khan increased the pressure at the end of the third, and secured a TKO victory in the fourth. The referee stepped in when Lawton failed to fight back.

The most significant win of Amir's career so far came when Khan celebrated his 21st birthday by successfully defending his Commonwealth Lightweight Title against Graham Earl on December 8, 2007. Earl, rated the no.1 British lightweight and a former world title challenger, was considered Khan's toughest test by some way and a tough fight was expected - especially due to some ill-feeling between the pair in the run up to the fight. However, It took Khan just 72 seconds to have the fight referee declare Earl in no fit state to continue. The speed at which Amir dispatched his man came as a big surprise to most observers, Earl looking barely in the same ring as the Commonwealth champion. Khan later claimed that he rated this victory as the best of his career. Khan is set to fight again on February 2, 2008 against Australian Gairy St Clair, for the WBO intercontinental lightweight title at the ExCel Arena in London.

Record

Olympic medal record
Representing  United Kingdom
Boxing
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Lightweight

Amateur

Professional

Res. Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
Win David Bailey TKO 1(4), 1:49 July 16, 2005 Bolton Arena First professional fight
Win Baz Carey Decision 4(4), September 10, 2005 Cardiff International Arena Points: 40-34
Win Steve Gethin TKO 3(4), 0:48 November 5, 2005 Braehead Arena
Win Daniel Thorpe TKO 2(4), 2:57 December 10, 2005 ExCeL Exhibition Centre
Win Vitali Martynov (BEL) TKO 1(6), 1:15 January 28, 2006 Nottingham Arena
Win "Action" Jackson Williams TKO 3(6), 2:16 February 25, 2006 ExCel Exhibition Centre
Win Laszlo Komjathi (HUN) Decision 6(6) May 20, 2006 King's Hall, Belfast 60-54
Win Colin Bain (SCO) TKO 2(6), 2:20 July 8, 2006 Millennium Stadium
Win Ryan Barrett TKO 1(6) 1:52 September 2, 2006 Bolton Arena
Win Rachin Drilzane (FRA) Decision (Unanimous) 10(10) December 9, 2006 ExCel Exhibition Centre 99-91;99-91;99-91.

Won IBF Inter-continental Light Welterweight Title

Win Mohammed Medjadi (FRA) TKO 1(8), 0:55 February 17, 2007 Wembley Arena
Win Steffy Bull TKO 3(8), 1:43 April 7, 2007 Millennium Stadium
Win Willie Limond RTD 8(12), 3:00 July 14, 2007 O2 Arena Limond retired at end of 8th round.

Won Commonwealth Lightweight Title.

Win Scott Lawton TKO 4(12), 0:32 October 6, 2007 Nottingham Arena
Win Graham Earl TKO 1(12), 1:12 December 8, 2007 Bolton Arena
Gairy St. Clair February 2, 2008 Excel Arena

Motoring offences

On 23rd October 2007 Khan was convicted of careless driving in Bolton Crown Court for which he was given a six month driving ban and a £1000 fine. This was for an incident on March 2, 2006 in the centre of Bolton when he hit a pedestrian on a pelican crossing whilst overtaking a line of cars and running through a red traffic light. The pedestrian suffered a broken leg as a result of the incident in which Khan was estimated to be travelling at 47 mph in a 30 mph limit area and was in the incorrect lane of traffic. Khan had originally been charged with the more serious offence of dangerous driving.[7]

Khan was also supposed to appear in court in Rochdale on October 26, 2007 accused of travelling in excess of 140 mph on the M62 motorway on December 31, 2006. He did not appear in court and the case was adjourned to November 2, 2007, the District Judge has said that he will issue an arrest warrant if the accused does not appear then. He is also charged with not producing his driving licence and insurance certificate after this incident.[8]

Personal life

  • He is an avid supporter of his local football club, Bolton Wanderers, and often uses the club's training facilities at the Reebok Stadium.[9]
  • Attended Smithills school in Bolton and Bolton Community College.
  • He is a first cousin of the England fast bowler Sajid Mahmood.[10]
  • He has a younger brother named Haroon Khan, who is currently an amateur boxer.
  • He performed an Umrah in 2006.[11]
  • He went to Pakistan to help the 2005 Kashmir earthquake victims.[12][13]
  • Is involved in the No Messin' campaign which promotes child safety around British railways.[14]
  • He enjoys playing sports such as football and cricket.[15]
  • He is good friends with footballers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, and tennis player Andy Murray.[16]
  • There has been an episode of 'Proud Parents' about him and his parents.
  • He is a car enthusiast and owns several private number plates.[17]
  • He sometimes makes his ring entrance to the playing of Is This the Way to Amarillo by Tony Christie, popularised by his fellow Boltonian Peter Kay.
  • He has started a gym in his home town to keep kiddywinks away from train tracks as kids do not realise they are live rails.

Amir was involved in a TV programme for Channel 4, "Amir Khan's Angry Young Men", which consisted of three 50 minute long episodes. The programme centred around troubled men and aimed to use the disciplines of boxing, coupled with faith and family values, to help re-focus their lives, and help steer them away from trouble in the future. It was screened in August/September 2007.

References

  1. ^ Khan into WBO Top 10, amirkhan-boxing.com. URL accessed 13 December 2007.
  2. ^ Mens Health December 2006 issue, p128
  3. ^ http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:tRyIB2q46rgJ:www.saddoboxing.com/4787-amir-khan-2.html+amir+khan+janjua+boxing&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=uk&client=firefox-a
  4. ^ http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:6ADdMJvbgMsJ:observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1830747,00.html+amir+khan+rawalpindi&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=uk&client=firefox-a
  5. ^ Khan tested on way to first title. BBC Sports - Boxing, dated 10 December 2006.
  6. ^ Golden boy Amir signs off in style. The Bolton Evening News, first published 16 May 2005.
  7. ^ Khan cleared of dangerous driving. The Manchester Evening News, first published 23 October 2007.
  8. ^ Judge gives Khan arrest warning. BBC News, dated 26 October 2007.
  9. ^ Amir Khan - Boxing Clever, p.4. regtransfers.co.uk, URL accessed 13 December 2007.
  10. ^ Mum's curries keep us at home. sport.guardian.co.uk, dated 30 July 2006.
  11. ^ Bolton wanderer on pilgrimage from Mecca to Muhammad. The Times, first published September 23, 2006.
  12. ^ A gift for Pakistan. From The Bolton News archive, first published 22 December 2005.
  13. ^ Amir back in quake zone. The Bolton Evening News, first published 12 April 2006.
  14. ^ 'No Messin' Live! 2006' - railway safety campaign networkrailmediacentre.co.uk, dated 6 July 2006.
  15. ^ Amir Khan - A True Talent. smaarttalent.com. URL accessed 13 December 2007.
  16. ^ The boy is doing fine in the hard man's world. The Independent on Sunday, first published 30 October 2005.
  17. ^ Amir Khan - Boxing Clever, regtransfers.co.uk, URL accessed 13 December 2007.
Preceded by Commonwealth (British Empire) Lightweight boxing champion
14 July 2007-
Succeeded by
Incumbent