Racism blamed for Khan's exit (written by Kevin Mitchel)
Posted: 18 Jan 2010, 12:09
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... igots-hate
So, Amir Khan is leaving allegedly and going to America to join Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, possibly making his American debut against the flash New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden in April. Well blow me down with one of pit-a-pat Paulie's feather-juiced jabs – and take a bow, the boo-boys.
The move, confirmed yesterday, has much to do with the fact GBP's Richard Schaefer and Top Rank boss Bob Arum have been hanging around Hollywood like a pair of thumb-sucking talent scouts the past year, getting in the ear of Khan and his boxing guru, Freddie Roach, at the trainer's Wild Card gym.
Khan has gone with Schaefer because the smart guys at Golden Boy and their rich friends at HBO also promote David Haye in America, and have worked with Ricky Hatton. Both of the Brits are good friends of the world light-welterweight champion. One of them might yet fight him – and how neat a deal would that be for Golden Boy and HBO: Khan v Hatton in Las Vegas, with both fighters part of the promotion.
There is no escaping the fact, though, that Schaefer's job has been made easy by the small crew of British bigots who have taken against Khan, for no apparent reason other than their lack of anything resembling a brain – and I mean that collectively, because they might just be able to build one between them.
Khan has been telling us for a long time he has grown disenchanted with these people. It is why he has fallen in love with America. Over there, living quietly and comfortably in the Californian sunshine, he is accepted without question by the fans – black and white Americans, Filipinos, Mexicans, all of them. And, whatever anyone, including his father and Warren, say to the contrary, the racists here who cat-call him from the cheap seats and spill out their bile anonymously across the internet have a lot to answer for.
If these comedians hadn't waged such a disgusting campaign against a fine young man of considerable boxing skill, a shy boy who was a national hero at 17 when he came home from the Olympics with a silver medal and almost single-handedly revived amateur boxing in this country, he might have stayed. He at least might not have been so easily tempted to leave.
People who have never met him said he was full of himself, that he'd forgotten his roots. They were the ones who cheered when he was knocked on his backside by Breidis Prescott, which pretty much sums up their mindset. Those of us lucky enough to spend time with him know all this to be a nonsense. Amir Khan is probably the nicest sportsman in Britain. Except now he is leaving.
Warren will say – and, indeed, has said – that the anti-Muslim thing was blown up out of all proportion. Maybe. But Frank wasn't on the end of it.
When Khan spoke to us before the Dmitriy Salita fight about his frustrations with the punters who attacked his faith and colour, he probably did go one quote too far. For him to say he would have been a world superstar if he were white only gave ammunition to the baiters, who claimed he was arrogant. But it was a shot from the heart. There was no spin on it. Khan is that kind of man, honest and straight.
Now he really is going into the lion's den. It is a long time since a British fighter invaded America by actually going to live and fight there. Terry Downes did it. To a lesser extent, Nigel Benn and Lennox Lewis did it. Audley Harrison tried it, and bombed out. Naseem Hamed said he was going to do it, and didn't. A long time ago, the likes of Ted "Kid" Lewis and Jack "Kid" Berg did it. Now a young Anglo-Asian kid from Bolton is doing it. Wish him luck.
He will miss Warren's guidance, but he has Roach to talk to. The trainer is a pretty wise owl and he will look after Khan's chin as much as his ring career better than anyone over there I can think of.
All of this looks tough on Frank. Save your tears. He's made plenty with Khan. Besides, maybe one day Warren will get Khan back over here to fight Kell Brook. Now what a homecoming that would be.
So, Amir Khan is leaving allegedly and going to America to join Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, possibly making his American debut against the flash New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden in April. Well blow me down with one of pit-a-pat Paulie's feather-juiced jabs – and take a bow, the boo-boys.
The move, confirmed yesterday, has much to do with the fact GBP's Richard Schaefer and Top Rank boss Bob Arum have been hanging around Hollywood like a pair of thumb-sucking talent scouts the past year, getting in the ear of Khan and his boxing guru, Freddie Roach, at the trainer's Wild Card gym.
Khan has gone with Schaefer because the smart guys at Golden Boy and their rich friends at HBO also promote David Haye in America, and have worked with Ricky Hatton. Both of the Brits are good friends of the world light-welterweight champion. One of them might yet fight him – and how neat a deal would that be for Golden Boy and HBO: Khan v Hatton in Las Vegas, with both fighters part of the promotion.
There is no escaping the fact, though, that Schaefer's job has been made easy by the small crew of British bigots who have taken against Khan, for no apparent reason other than their lack of anything resembling a brain – and I mean that collectively, because they might just be able to build one between them.
Khan has been telling us for a long time he has grown disenchanted with these people. It is why he has fallen in love with America. Over there, living quietly and comfortably in the Californian sunshine, he is accepted without question by the fans – black and white Americans, Filipinos, Mexicans, all of them. And, whatever anyone, including his father and Warren, say to the contrary, the racists here who cat-call him from the cheap seats and spill out their bile anonymously across the internet have a lot to answer for.
If these comedians hadn't waged such a disgusting campaign against a fine young man of considerable boxing skill, a shy boy who was a national hero at 17 when he came home from the Olympics with a silver medal and almost single-handedly revived amateur boxing in this country, he might have stayed. He at least might not have been so easily tempted to leave.
People who have never met him said he was full of himself, that he'd forgotten his roots. They were the ones who cheered when he was knocked on his backside by Breidis Prescott, which pretty much sums up their mindset. Those of us lucky enough to spend time with him know all this to be a nonsense. Amir Khan is probably the nicest sportsman in Britain. Except now he is leaving.
Warren will say – and, indeed, has said – that the anti-Muslim thing was blown up out of all proportion. Maybe. But Frank wasn't on the end of it.
When Khan spoke to us before the Dmitriy Salita fight about his frustrations with the punters who attacked his faith and colour, he probably did go one quote too far. For him to say he would have been a world superstar if he were white only gave ammunition to the baiters, who claimed he was arrogant. But it was a shot from the heart. There was no spin on it. Khan is that kind of man, honest and straight.
Now he really is going into the lion's den. It is a long time since a British fighter invaded America by actually going to live and fight there. Terry Downes did it. To a lesser extent, Nigel Benn and Lennox Lewis did it. Audley Harrison tried it, and bombed out. Naseem Hamed said he was going to do it, and didn't. A long time ago, the likes of Ted "Kid" Lewis and Jack "Kid" Berg did it. Now a young Anglo-Asian kid from Bolton is doing it. Wish him luck.
He will miss Warren's guidance, but he has Roach to talk to. The trainer is a pretty wise owl and he will look after Khan's chin as much as his ring career better than anyone over there I can think of.
All of this looks tough on Frank. Save your tears. He's made plenty with Khan. Besides, maybe one day Warren will get Khan back over here to fight Kell Brook. Now what a homecoming that would be.
D
