British boxer Amir Khan (right) talks to Qatar Boxing Federation president and Local Organizing Committee for the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships executive director Yousef Ali al-Kazim yesterday.

By Satya Rath/Doha


So who’s going to be Amir Khan’s next opponent? And which city’s likely to host the ‘big fight’?
These are still early days yet, but the scales seem to be weighing strongly in favour of Doha as the city is most likely to host the much-awaited bout.
As regards the man opposite Khan in the ring, in all probability it will be Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, though there are other names doing the rounds too.
Khan was willing to reveal just as much. “I have left it to my team, they are the ones who would know. Yes, I would be happy if it is Pacquiao. He is not just a legend, he is a dear friend too, and he is quite popular in this part of the world,” the 28-year-old boxing icon said yesterday.
“And yes, it would be great if the fight happens in Doha. I realise boxing has not yet picked up in this part of the world, but then we must help it grow. Both of us have a big fan base here, so if everything works out fine, why not?” the British professional boxer, who is in Doha to witness the ongoing AIBA World Championships as a special guest, added.
Khan had been keen to fight American Floyd Mayweather, who retired last month with a 49-0 record.
“He was scared of me. There was a fear factor. He was afraid he might not be able to retire unbeaten if he fought me. He is definitely beatable, and he knows that. He was not willing to take that risk with me. He kept me hanging for three years, kept promising me and kept backing out. The truth is he never wanted to fight me. He knew I have more speed, dexterity, accuracy, movement and power than him. He realised he would lose, and he didn’t want that,” asserted Khan, quite categorically.
But certainly, it’s not a coincidence that Pacquiao and he are in Doha almost at the same time? The Filipino left on Friday morning after reaching here on Thursday, with Khan arriving on Friday evening.
“Actually, it’s just a coincidence. Please don’t read anything more into it. I was not aware he was coming, and my programme had been fixed much earlier. As I said already, we would love to fight each other, and our respective teams are working towards it, but this visit has got nothing to do with it,” the Briton clarified.
Khan would be in Doha till the end of this month. “I would be training here. My conditioning coach is landing here tonight, and we would be working out on a few things. The weather is great here at this time of the year, and the facilities, needless to say, are excellent.”
A two-time world champion, Khan won the Olympic silver at Athens 2004, when he was only 17. A Briton with Pakistani origins, he has won 31 of his 34 fights since turning pro in 2006.
“It’s actually lot harder to be an amateur than a professional. In the professional circuit, you have the option to pick your opponent and fight. That’s not the case for an amateur. Take this World Championships for instance: You have the world’s best boxers assembled here, there are Olympic spots up for grabs, there’s so much at stake, and there are just three rounds. One mistake and you are out.
“I lived those emotions when I qualified for the Olympics. That experience actually changed my life. I was only 17 then, I won the silver, and I can never describe that experience… It toughened me, I owe that experience for what I am today,” Khan said.
He feels that amateur boxing has changed in the last few years. “Earlier it was more quantity than quality, now it’s the other way round. The rules have been tweaked, the headgears are gone, the scoring system has changed, but I think it has made the sport that much better. Yes, it has slowed down a bit, but it now churns out only the best. There’s more quality in today’s boxers, they are technically much better.”
Khan was all praise for the state-of-the-art Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah arena: “It’s magnificent. I have been to so many venues around the world, and this surely will rank among the very best. I am glad I came here, the hospitality has been amazing. There are some boxers from Britain, and I will cheer for them from the stands.”
He felt for boxing to grow in Qatar, there need to be boxing gyms. “Across the world, most boxers are churned out by the boxing gyms. That will help generate the interest of locals towards the sport. I am sure this Worlds Championships will give a big boost to the sport, but boxing gyms will help it grow faster.”
Khan had some advice for the budding boxers too: “This is a tough sport. You need to keep working hard. You may win, you may lose, but you should never give up. We all win, we all lose, it’s how you come back from the loss that matters. Just stick to your passion with sincerity and devotion, and you can achieve anything.”