Amir Khan’s boxing career - Part 2
Khan fought against super featherweight, Michael Gomez, on 21 June 2008, at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. Gomez, whose best days as a boxer were behind him as he had lost the last three of his six fights, was described as a detrimental step in Khan's quest for a world title.
The following month, Jorge Rubio was announced to become Khan's new trainer. Rubio and Khan developed a very good chemistry within no time. Many boxing experts reflected that Rubio needed to work on improvising Khan’s defence tactics.
In August, Breidis Prescott was chosen as Khan's next opponent. Rubio thought that Khan would be able to handle the bigger Prescott, despite Prescott’s prolific knockout record of 17 KO’s in 19 contests. He had trained a fighter who had narrowly lost to Prescott earlier. Astonishingly, on 6 September 2008, Khan lost to Prescott via a knockout in 54 seconds at the Manchester Evening News Arena on his Sky Box Office debut.
Frank Warren sacked Jorge Rubio, following the defeat, and replaced him with Freddie Roach. Khan began training with Roach in the United States. WBC World lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao was also being trained by Roach.
On 6 December 2008, the boy from Bolton recorded a comeback win with brutal vengeance as he thrashed Oisin Fagan to the floor twice in the first round. Ninety seven seconds into the second round and Khan was victorious.
Subsequently, Amir Khan won the unoccupied WBA International lightweight title.
It was announced in the first quarter of 2009 that Amir would be fighting against former seven-time and three-time world champion Marco Antonio Barrera. The fight was held at the Manchester Evening News Arena on 14 March. Khan faced his first ever sensational defeat at this very venue. Barrera was ranked at the top and Khan stood at the ninth position in the WBO world lightweight rankings. The boxer from Bolton continued on his overwhelming winning streak by defeating Barrera via a controversial technical decision.
Consequently, Amir Khan defended his WBA International lightweight title and also clinched the vacant WBO Inter-Continental lightweight title.
Frank Warren was so impressed with Khan's performance that he vowed to land a world title fight for him before the end of the year.
On 18 July 2009, Amir Khan moved up to the light welterweight to fight Andreas Kotelnik for the WBA World light welterweight title. Both were on prime form but it was Khan’s speed, stamina and boxing skill that saw him become the third-youngest Briton to win a world title, at the age of 22.
Frank Warren declared on 6 October 2009 that Amir Khan would defend his World title against undefeated Dmitry Salita. On 5 December, 2009, the British Pakistani gifted Salita with his first ever career loss knocking him down three times in 76 seconds in the very first round.
Khan split with British promoter Frank Warren, on 17 January 2010, and signed a deal with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions.
Golden Boy Promotions confirmed on 9 March 2010 that WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan and former light welterweight world champion Paulie Malignaggi will fight for the World title on 15th May at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Malignaggi fought hard but was defeated in the 11th round.
Apart from boxing he has found himself a lot of media attention and has been involved in various charitable and community exercises; Khan assisted in raising £1 million for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami. He went to Pakistan, after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, and handed out food parcels to children in a camp.
In July 2006, Khan became involved in the ‘No Messin' campaign, which promotes child safety around British railways. In the same year, Amir Khan performed an Umrah, a pilgrimage to the Holy city of Muslims in Mecca. He has contributed £1 million of his own money on the Gloves Community Centre and boxing gym in Bolton to promote boxing amongst street children.
Ever since King Khan catapulted into the limelight after the 2004 Silver medal Olympic podium finish, he has never looked back. Raking an impressive professional fight record, Khan is Britain’s highest profile boxer after becoming the World Light Welterweight Champion last year. The boy from Bolton has ridden high at the top of his game for the past four years.
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