Two-time former boxing world champion, Amir Khan has pledged to support boxing in The Gambia.
King Khan, as he is also known visited the Smiling Coast of Africa at the weekend, as he sought to establish an Orphanage Foundation in Brikama, West Coast Region. His visit was facilitated by Pennyappeal, a charitable organisation based in The Gambia.
Born Amir Iqbal Khan on 8 December 1986, he is a British professional boxer and has won the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super and International Boxing Federation (IBF) Light Welterweight titles.
Khan is the youngest British Olympic boxing medalist, winning silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics at the age of 17. He is also one of the youngest British world champions ever, winning the WBA Light Welterweight title at just 22, the first-ever British Pakistani boxing major world champion, the second overall after Jawaid Khaliq, as well as the first Punjabi descent world boxing champion.
The Bolton boxer was hosted to a dinner last Friday at the Clay Oven in Fajara, where he spoke to invited journalists. Khan said the main purpose of his visit to the country is necessitated by his Foundation’s desire to have an orphanage in the country.
“So, I want to establish my own Foundation in the country that will accommodate maybe 200 to 300. Obviously, it is going to cost a lot of money, but we are ready to take that risk and pressure and when we go home, we are going to do a dinner event on August 14th and we are going to have lot of influential people coming to attend.”
While calling for the support of Gambians, he said, there is a need for the world to know the country. “We are going to work alongside Pennyappeal, a charitable organisation in the country [The Gambia]. We have been given a big land in Brikama and we hope to see it developed in few years to come.”
Amir Khan also used the occasion to pledge his support to the country’s boxing by assisting with materials and training. “You are more than welcome to bring your boxing team to train at my academy in England,” he said, describing the lack of facilities as the main obstacles to develop sport in many countries.
He also disclosed plans to establish an Amir Khan boxing academy in the country, having already established one in the land of his ancestors, Pakistan. He added that it is now left with the Gambian authorities to start rolling the ball, as he promised to make himself available after his fight against Floyd Mayweather in December.
For his part, Hatab Hydara, the chief executive officer of Pennyappeal said the organisation has been registered and operating in the country for almost three decades. According to him, the organisation has an orphanage in Fajara, accommodating 32 orphans, all of whom are given standard living and high quality education.
“We inspired Amir Khan to come and start an orphanage in The Gambia and we got a land in Brikama. It was not easy to have contact with him, but is now a blessing to the country to have him in The Gambia. There will be so many facilities for orphans in the country,” he added.
Pa Alieu Jallow, the president of the Gambia Boxing Association used the meeting to inform Amir Khan about some of the challenges confronting sports in the country, particularly the little materials and lack of up-to-date facilities.
With the assurance from Amir Khan, Jallow looks upbeat that the game will see some transformation in the next few years. He then urged the media to help promote boxing, like football.
He assured Amir Khan of his association and government’s support to have his academy in the country, particularly under the current Minister for Youth and Sports, Alieu K Jammeh.
About Amir Khan
Khan was born and raised in Bolton, England, in a Punjabi Janjua Rajput British Pakistani family with roots in Punjab. He was educated at Smithills School in Bolton, and Bolton Community College. Khan is a Muslim, and is an active supporter of the Muslim Writers Awards.
Khan has two sisters and one brother, Haroon “Harry” Khan, an undefeated Professional boxer. He is the first cousin of English cricketer Sajid Mahmood, related through a paternal grandfather, Lal Khan, who moved to England after being discharged from the Pakistani Army.
Amateur career
Khan began to box competitively at the age of 11, with early honours, including three English school titles, three junior ABA titles, and gold at the 2003 Junior Olympics. In early 2004, he won a gold medal at the European Student Championships in Lithuania, and in South Korea several months later he won the world junior lightweight title after fighting five times in seven days.
One of his notable early amateur fights was against Victor Ortíz, whom he defeated in a second round stoppage. Overall, he compiled an amateur record of 101-9.
