Former light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan opened up following his retirement in February. ‘King’ said he was afraid that he might not leave the ring alive if he continued to box.
Amir Khan decided to hang up his boxing gloves following a devastating loss on February 19. He boxed Kell Brook who also retired following the match. They exchanged blows until Brook knocked Khan out in the 6th round.
Khan is a British retired boxer – born and raised in Bolton, Greater Manchester, to a Punjabi Rajput family that originated in Pakistan.
Amir Khan feels that terrible lifestyle choices are to blame for the lack of Asians in the sport.
Khan went professional following winning an Olympic silver medal at the age of 17.
Several Asian boxers, notably the Azim brothers Adam and Hassan, are starting to leave a mark in the ring. They have mentioned Khan as their influence.
Khan recently suggested that Asians’ “appalling diet” is to blame for their lack of success in boxing.
“Look, us Asians are not really meant to be fighters. We’re not supposed to be good sportsmen and women.”
“Our diet is appalling. It’s curries. It’s not the right diet to be a champion. If you put us against a lot of English fighters their diet is a lot better. They’re stronger than us. But obviously I changed my way of living.”
“But not many Asians become sportsmen and women because we don’t have the diet. We don’t have the dedication. But if we see someone doing it, like if they’ve seen me do it, maybe that can inspire and motivate them.”
“If Amir Khan has done it, being Asian and living on chapatis all his life and eating curries, we can do it. But you still have to take it easy on those things.”
Despite being a role model for many, Khan claims that Asian athletes use their ethnicity as an “excuse” for not following their dreams in sports.
He also added, “It’s an incredible platform for kids to see what I’ve accomplished and realize that they can do the same and achieve what I’ve accomplished.”
The British boxer departed the sport after reigning as unified world champion and sharing the ring with Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, and Paulie Malignaggi.