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Amir Khan, a British boxer of Pakistani descent, is scheduled to defend his WBA 140-pound title against former champ Paulie Malignaggi of Brooklyn at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 15. But that fight looks like it's in jeopardy because Khan is stuck in Vancouver awaiting a work visa.
Khan has been in the U.S., working out at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on a tourist visa for the last few months. When his work visa application, which he submitted in March, hit a snag he went to the nearest British consulate across the Canadian border in Vancouver to expedite matters. What he thought would take a day has turned into 10 days as of Thursday.
The delay was causing anxiety for Khan's promoters at Golden Boy Promotions and for Malignaggi's promoter, Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment.
David Itskowitch, Golden Boy COO, said it applied for the work visa back in March when the fight was made and has been awaiting approval from Homeland Security since. He said Golden Boy hasn't been given many details on why the visa has been delayed.
"We've been told that it's an administrative process that is ongoing," Itskowitch said. "We're waiting for that process to be completed."
Itskowitch didn't know whether the incident in Times Square Saturday night in which Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year old U.S. citizen originally from Pakistan, allegedly tried to set off a car bomb, had stalled Khan's work visa.
The 22-year-old Khan said he has never had any problems when traveling outside of Britain. "I didn't have any problems when I came here (on a tourist visa) and I haven't had any problems anywhere I've gone," he said.
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph of London, traffic violations in England may be causing the delay. Khan was convicted of careless driving after he went through a red light and injured a pedestrian in 2007. He was banned from driving for six months and fined £1,000. Three months later, he was banned for 42 days and fined £1,000 for speeding. Last summer Khan was involved in an accident with a cyclist.
Khan has been trying to make the best of his time in Vancouver while awaiting his work visa to be approved. Trainer Freddie Roach traveled to Vancouver last week and is keeping him sharp in preparation for the fight, which may or may not happen.
Malignaggi said he is as frustrated as Khan over the process.
"It seems so simple," Malignaggi said. "This guy is coming here to work. Let him in. All you have to do is Google his name and you'll find out that he's coming here to fight and defend his championship. It's been in the news all over the worldwide media. I believe this guy is clean and he's coming here to fight.
"I know you have guys trying to blow up Times Square and in the past guys who have tried to blow up buildings in Manhattan. How do those guys get into the country, but this guy whose coming here to work can't get it? It's very frustrating. Let him in."
DiBella said there are no contingencies in place if Khan doesn't get his work visa and can't make it to New York for the fight.
"I'm trusting that he'll be in New York on Monday and we'll have a fight on Saturday night," DiBella said. "What kind of contingency plans can you have in place? I'm not thinking about that because I have no reason to believe that I have to."
Khan has been in the U.S., working out at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on a tourist visa for the last few months. When his work visa application, which he submitted in March, hit a snag he went to the nearest British consulate across the Canadian border in Vancouver to expedite matters. What he thought would take a day has turned into 10 days as of Thursday.
The delay was causing anxiety for Khan's promoters at Golden Boy Promotions and for Malignaggi's promoter, Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment.
David Itskowitch, Golden Boy COO, said it applied for the work visa back in March when the fight was made and has been awaiting approval from Homeland Security since. He said Golden Boy hasn't been given many details on why the visa has been delayed.
"We've been told that it's an administrative process that is ongoing," Itskowitch said. "We're waiting for that process to be completed."
Itskowitch didn't know whether the incident in Times Square Saturday night in which Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year old U.S. citizen originally from Pakistan, allegedly tried to set off a car bomb, had stalled Khan's work visa.
The 22-year-old Khan said he has never had any problems when traveling outside of Britain. "I didn't have any problems when I came here (on a tourist visa) and I haven't had any problems anywhere I've gone," he said.
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph of London, traffic violations in England may be causing the delay. Khan was convicted of careless driving after he went through a red light and injured a pedestrian in 2007. He was banned from driving for six months and fined £1,000. Three months later, he was banned for 42 days and fined £1,000 for speeding. Last summer Khan was involved in an accident with a cyclist.
Khan has been trying to make the best of his time in Vancouver while awaiting his work visa to be approved. Trainer Freddie Roach traveled to Vancouver last week and is keeping him sharp in preparation for the fight, which may or may not happen.
Malignaggi said he is as frustrated as Khan over the process.
"It seems so simple," Malignaggi said. "This guy is coming here to work. Let him in. All you have to do is Google his name and you'll find out that he's coming here to fight and defend his championship. It's been in the news all over the worldwide media. I believe this guy is clean and he's coming here to fight.
"I know you have guys trying to blow up Times Square and in the past guys who have tried to blow up buildings in Manhattan. How do those guys get into the country, but this guy whose coming here to work can't get it? It's very frustrating. Let him in."
DiBella said there are no contingencies in place if Khan doesn't get his work visa and can't make it to New York for the fight.
"I'm trusting that he'll be in New York on Monday and we'll have a fight on Saturday night," DiBella said. "What kind of contingency plans can you have in place? I'm not thinking about that because I have no reason to believe that I have to."
at what point do you call off the fight?
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