Amir Khan is Enjoying The American Life
By Terence Dooley
Amir Khan has told the Daily Mirror that he is fast improving under Freddie Roach, and is revelling in his Los Angeles training base. Khan is working with Roach at the Wildcard gym, the youngster believes that the new location and training regime will take him to the top, as well as helping him avoid the distractions of home.
“It is so peaceful for me here,” said Khan. “At home, there are appearances, meetings, telephone interviews and stuff, doing this, doing that, going here, going there. Then you have got your friends on top of that and you have probably got your girlfriend, so it is hard to balance it. You are living with your mum and dad and you have got your brothers and sisters there. Everything is just like a race, man. Here, I walk on the streets and there are girls who whistle at you and stop cars and ask 'where you from?' when they hear your accent. They say 'why don''t you come out with us and let me take you out on a date?' I'm like 'wow, forget this, this is work here, this is nothing but work, I come here for work and that's it'.”
Khan's hard work will culminate in a challenge for the WBA light-welterweight title held by Andreas Kotelnik, for Khan this is a stepping stone fight, with the bright lights of the US his stated destination. “I hope that winning the world title will be the first major step for me,” explained Khan. “It is going to promote me all over the world. They are going to know all about me after this. I want to fight in America at a young age. I am 22 and I want to fight in America before I am 23.
“Hopefully, winning this world title fight will open a lot of doors for me and get me bigger fights,” he continued. “When you are a world champion, other world titles come to you. This is huge for me. This is what I want more than anything. I have been dreaming of this for years and years, and now the chance has come. I have to keep pinching myself and telling myself I am fighting for a world title. When I am tired and slowing down in camp, this is what pushes me.”
Please send news and views to neckodeemus@hotmail.co.uk
