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King Khan hopeful for Pakistan
January 06, 2012
Boxing is among the very few sports in the Pakistan which made slow but steady progress to compete in the international level. The Pakistani boxers also lack necessary equipment and other facilities which have made the other countries leading boxing nations of the world as there is not a single boxing gymnasium or indoor stadium of international standard in the capital of the country.
British-born Pakistani boxer Amir Khan, who showed early promise as a boxer and in 2003, he won a gold medal at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, closely followed by another gold medal at the European Student Championship in 2004.
Amir, who was born in United Kingdom in early December 1986 also encouraged by his father Sajjad Khan, who considered his son a born fighter and was confident that his son could be very successful at his chosen sport. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Khan won a silver medal at the age of 17. Amir Khan won the WBA World Light-Welterweight World Championship title, defeating Andreas Kotelnik in a unanimous decision over 12 rounds to become the King Khan in World Light-Welterweight World Championship.
Amir Khan also visited Pakistan in last week of December to participate as a chief guest in the second Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament saying that Pakistan has amazing talent in boxing and it needs training and facilities.
“I am offering his boxing facilities to Pakistani boxers who qualify for the London Olympics 2012 to be held this year in London”, he said, adding that he will support Pakistani boxers and that he was here to boost their morale.
Khan said that he had a special place in his heart for Pakistan and was ready to assist the sport in the country and my talks with Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) President Doda Khan are continue about the prospect of hosting five boxers in Bolton, England.
“I’d like to visit Pakistan every year or twice a year and I feel proud over representing England and Pakistan in the international competitions adding that Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Championship would prove to be a milestone for Pakistan boxing future.
He said that Pakistan has amazing talent in boxing that needs training and opportunities to yield results, adding that hard working and determination is the key to success and Pakistan is blessed with natural talent and in five years. Khan said that Pakistani coaches are good but the PBF must hire the services of some experienced international coaches to groom the talent and this would also help educate their local coaches.
He said his trainer Freddie Roach had won the best trainer of the year award for five years in running and he remained instrumental in all of his recent achievements.
Khan said that he has already filed a case in International Boxing Federation against the controversial decision in his last title fight with Lamont Peterson. The decision of the case is due next year.
King Khan said that the current management of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) led by its president Doda Khan Bhutto doing their best to promote the boxing skills in Pakistan and I am praised with the efforts of Doda Khan Bhutto and terms him the right person for the job of promoting boxing talent in the country.
He said that if his appeal was upheld of rematch he will be ready to fight against Lamont Peterson in April or May at Las Vegas or Los Angles as a neutral venue is a must when one fights against the opponent as the local crowd, referees and others are all against you.”
He said after the bout was over and he was declared loser, Washington Post, one of the leading US newspaper conducted an online survey and asked the general public who they think has won the bout and the answer was in his favour as a whopping 76 percent people think that he had won the fight and the referee had denied him the confirmed victory.
He said his trainer Freddie Roach had won the best trainer of the year award for five years in running and he remained instrumental in all of his recent achievements.
Talking about his son Sajjad Khan, father of Amir Khan said that it sounds great to hear that his son is known as the second Muhammad Ali in Pakistan as he himself idealizes Ali as his hero.
He said that in earlier age Amir was aggressive and active that made me make my mind to put make him box so that he can cool down his aggression but instead he utilized his aggression in boxing.
King Khan, who based in Bolton likely to be wed this year with Faryal, a 20-year-old student in New York, started dating earlier this year after being introduced by mutual pals. He also gave the ring gift of worth of the £100,000 during the engagement with her.
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