Amir Khan is a boxer who can often polarise opinion. While no one among the boxing fraternity doubts his lightning speed and slick skills inside the ring, his vivid personality and willingness to voyage into uncharted waters has not always been well received.
Take for example the recent headlines which have swirled around the globe. The British pugilist sparked talk of a sensational switch to mixed martial arts (MMA) with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Conor McGregor firmly in his crosshair.
Now, many will question the legitimacy of his claims, and rightly so given the media circus which emerged after Floyd Mayweather made the same assertions, but if there was any fighter willing to swap the squared-circle for the Octagon, then Khan would certainly be in the conversation. After all, The 29-year-old former light-welterweight king is not one to shy away from a challenge having moved up two weight classes to take on Mexico’s monstrous middleweight Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May.
The consensus then was that his move up to a catch-weight 155lbs bout was nonsensical. Alvarez had tore through the middleweight division and on fight night can surface at a hulking 170lbs+.
Predictably, the fight did not end well for Khan as the Mexican idol delivered a savage right-hand in the sixth round to send the Brit into the realms of semi-consciousness.
King Khan: The British boxer holds aloft a UFC belt in Dubai.
But despite the dynamite finish, Khan won many plaudits for his brave effort and a lightning fast start which saw him take the first four rounds. After being sent crashing to the canvas by what he describes as a punch “which would have knocked anyone out” Khan’s immediate target now is to rehabilitate a surgically repaired right-hand before lowering his poundage to exact world welterweight title revenge against the undefeated Danny Garcia – who himself detonated a brutal KO of his own to Khan’s chin.
“I’ve had this hand problem since my second fight when I broke my hand fighting a guy called Baz Carey. Since then it has never been the same,” Khan tells Sport360 on a recent visit to Dubai.
“The doctor told me that the ligaments were destroyed so, after seven years, I finally got it operated on. I was told I have only been fighting with 30 per cent power so I’m glad that it is fixed as I need to be able to throw my right hand with full strength.
“The surgery saw them take a bone from my hip and put it in my hand. They put some screws in as well but I will be back training in a month and will be ready to fight in January.
“I’m mandatory for Garcia’s belt so that it is a big fight for me right there. I won’t be able to do September (Garcia’s slated ring return) but hopefully I will be okay for January.”
Failing that, there is Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino icon announced he will be returning to the ring later this year after a short stay in retirement and that is of course a glamour fight which piques Khan’s interest.
He adds: “There are talks about Manny but Bob Arum doesn’t want to make that fight.”
.@amirkingkhan wants to get his hands on a #UFC belt in a clash with @TheNotoriousMMA. More on Sport360 soon. pic.twitter.com/V3FzGXyuOj
— Sport360° (@Sport360) July 20, 2016
Kingpin promoter Arum recently launched a scathing attack in regards to Khan’s legitimacy as a potential Pacquiao opponent, describing him as “yesterday’s news”. But Khan believes the 84-year-old is just bitter.
“It seems to me, he knows what would happen in that fight,” he says. “It’s a big fight which fans would want to see but I think he is looking for every excuse not to make it. I think he’s scared and it’s also because I’m not with Bob Arum, I’m with a different team, I’m with Al Haymon. I think Bob’s always been bitter against me, he’s always had the bitterness against me.
“I’ve got two options Danny Garcia and Manny Pacquiao. I’m not the guy to be scared of any fight, I’ve taken the biggest risks in my entire career. I didn’t have to but I chose to.
“Whoever has called me out I’m happy to fight them, even the Kell Brook issue, when that came to me (promoter) Eddie Hearn guaranteed me ‘X’ amount but when we sat down to negotiate the money wasn’t the same.
“Some people in a smart way outbid themselves to get out of a fight. I’ve never done that, look at Mayweather, the contract was signed and deals done, but he didn’t take the fight, he didn’t sign his end. These are things I can maybe write a book about one day because I’ve had a crazy career.”
Holding court at Dubai’s UFC Gym, Khan covered a myriad of topics to suggest there is plenty on his plate keeping him busy.
His continuing charity work, pilgrimages to Pakistan and plans for the upbringing of his young daughter occupy much of his attention.
Right now, MMA might be one of his favourite topics of conversation but his ebullient nature really surfaces when talk of his true art form is the focus. One subject which loosens his tongue is of fellow Brit Brook’s assent from 147lbs to 160lbs to face the feared and unbeaten KO artist Gennady ‘Triple G’ Golovkin in September. The fight draws many parallels to Khan’s tangle with Alvarez but it is an odd dynamic given 2016 was the year which boxing fans had hoped to see Golovkin and Alvarez collide as well as Khan and Brook.
Curiously, the fights have swapped but Khan gives his rival credit for taking the fight and says when the dust settles they could finally meet in the ring.
“First of all I give him props for taking that fight,” he says. “It’s a very hard fight so I give him a lot of credit. He can win… well actually no I don’t think he can but it’s the first big fight of his career so I have to give him some credit. Certainly I still think a fight between myself and Kell will happen because he has proven himself now by being willing to step into the ring with Golovkin.
“The UK public want to see that fight and it is a fight I would like to give them. I still don’t like him, though, in fact I hate him.”
With the UFC world title. UFC training has started 😎 pic.twitter.com/5DIKkQlm5R
— Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) July 20, 2016
One fighter he does not harbour any illtaste towards is McGregor. While he has talked up a possible showdown in the UFC with the divisive Irish star, Kahn admits some admiration for the featherweight champ.
“I think a Conor McGregor fight would be massive. It would be a full MMA fight as I’m not scared of him,” he adds with a UFC strap wrapped around his waist.
“But listen I would need six months to train MMA fully and I will spend every day in the cage until I am bang on.
“He is a great fighter and I’m not saying I want to fight him because I don’t like him, it’s because he’s the best fighter and the biggest name.”
