Amir Khan (boxer): Difference between revisions
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*He is an avid supporter of his local [[football (soccer)|football]] club, [[Bolton Wanderers FC]], and often uses the club's training facilities at the [[Reebok Stadium]].{{cn}} |
*He is an avid supporter of his local [[football (soccer)|football]] club, [[Bolton Wanderers FC]], and often uses the club's training facilities at the [[Reebok Stadium]].{{cn}} |
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*He is a first cousin of the England cricketer [[Sajid Mahmood]]. <ref>[http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1833613,00.html Mum's curries keep us at home], ''sport.guardian.co.uk'', [[30 July]], 2006.</ref> |
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*He has performed an [[Umrah]] in 2006, he left [[England]] for [[Saudi Arabia]] on [[September 5]] and returned on [[September 16]].{{cn}} |
*He has performed an [[Umrah]] in 2006, he left [[England]] for [[Saudi Arabia]] on [[September 5]] and returned on [[September 16]].{{cn}} |
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Revision as of 11:27, 11 December 2006
Amir Khan | |
|---|---|
| File:Amirkhan.jpg | |
| Born | Amir Khan December 8, 1986 |
| Nationality |  English |
| Other names | The Pride of Bolton |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Lightweight / Light-welterweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 10 |
| Wins | 10 |
| Wins by KO | 7 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Amir Khan (born December 8, 1986) is a British boxer of Pakistani origin from Bolton, Lancashire, England. He is the current IBF inter-continental light welterweight champion.
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. His hero is Muhammad Ali.
Khan is a Raja of the Janjua Rajput clan of Pakistan, 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, Lancashire.
Career
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 of Cuba, who was widely regarded as the best pound for pound amateur boxer in the world. In 2005 he brilliantly avenged this loss by defeating Kindelan in his last amateur fight. This fight was also notable for being the first boxing match ITV had chosen to show live in a decade.
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 seven professional fights, drawing good reviews (although questions are often asked about the quality of his opponents, despite him being at a very early stage in his career). After winning his fifth fight in 75 seconds, he commented that "I went in there and did my job - I don't get paid overtime. I would have loved to have shown more of myself but that's the way the fight went." It was the quickest victory of his professional career and his first six-round bout. In his 9th bout of his undefeated career Amir Khan won a victory by way of knockout to Ryan Barret who had prior to the fight said that he intended to win and not to make Amir Khan look good; but, despite an apparently suspect chin - making the bout a complete mismatch - looking good is exactly how Barret enabled Amir to appear.
Khan has announced his intention to be a World Champion by the time he is 21. He has also stated that he intends to become British Champion by the end of 2007 - comments which have prompted cries from boxing fans directed towards his promoter to increase the level of his opposition.
Khan's life and career to date have already been documented in a book titled Amir Khan: a Boy from Bolton.
Amir Khan fought for the IBF inter-continental title on Saturday 9th December. He successfully won on a decision after dominating the fight. However, he 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 .
Record
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Boxing | ||
 |
2004 Athens | Lightweight |
Amateur
- 2003 - Won a gold medal at the AAU Junior Olympics.
- 2004 - Won a gold medal at the European Student Championships and the World Junior Championships.
- 2004 - Won the Strandja Cup to qualify for the Olympics in Athens
- 2004 - Won a silver medal at the Olympics, beating Marios Kaperonis, Dimitar Stilianov, Jong Sub Baik and Serik Yeleuov. He lost to Mario Kindelan in the final.
- 2005 - Won the last match of his amateur career beating Mario Kindelan 19-13 in Bolton.
Professional
- July 16, 2005 - Won first professional fight by TKO in the 1st round beating David Bailey.
- September 10, 2005 - Beat Baz Carey on points after a full four rounds at the International Arena, Cardiff.
- November 5, 2005 - Defeated Steve Gethin by TKO in the third round at Braehead Arena, Glasgow.
- December 10, 2005 - Beat Daniel Thorpe in the second round by TKO at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre, London.
- January 28, 2006 - Beat Vitali Martynov of Belarus in the first round by TKO at the Nottingham Arena, Nottingham.
- February 25, 2006 - Beat "Action" Jackson Williams of Norwich in the third round by TKO at the ExCel Exhibition Centre, London.
- May 20, 2006 - Beat Laszlo Komjathi of Hungary on points at the King's Hall, Belfast.
- July 8, 2006 - Beat Colin Bain of Scotland in the second round by referee's decision at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.
- September 2, 2006 - Beat Ryan Barrett in the first round by TKO, after just 1 minute and 52 seconds.
- December 9, 2006 - Beat Rachid Drilzane of France by unanimous points decision (99-91 in ten rounds) for the IBF inter-continental light welterweight title
Personal life
- He is an avid supporter of his local football club, Bolton Wanderers FC, and often uses the club's training facilities at the Reebok Stadium.[citation needed]
- He is a first cousin of the England cricketer Sajid Mahmood. [1]
- He has performed an Umrah in 2006, he left England for Saudi Arabia on September 5 and returned on September 16.[citation needed]
- His father is called Shahjaad, his mother Falak, his older sister Tabinda, his younger brother Haroon and his younger sister Mariya.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Mum's curries keep us at home, sport.guardian.co.uk, 30 July, 2006.