BoxRec

UK fans tend to offer unbelievable support to their boxers but Amir Khan seems to be different. He has been booed at many of his fights in the UK and at the Hatton-Pacquio weigh in was booed by the Hatton fans. Why do some UK fans have a problem with Khan?

I think he has lost quite a lot of British support (and worldwide support) due to his childish antics on social networking sites and some of his interviews. Amir is a great talent and a nice guy but he needs to be a bit more careful with what he says on the internet and during interviews. He also needs a better PR advisor.

His extensive charitable work does not get much media attention but his childish antics are well publicised. His antics after the Peterson fight were also deemed rather unsavoury and somewhat childish.

Bad loser, arrogant, childish, petulant and spoiled.

He's had it on a plate since he was 17, and he has messed it up. Instead of being polite and humble he has been the exact opposite.

Good fighter who has a lot of talent but his attitude limits this.

The MAB fight was the first time I realied this was the case during his ring entry, I know some tried to dismiss this but he was booed in by large parts of the crowd, I couldnt believe it but it happend right there

None of your options.

He was a young lad who needed to be in a more professional setting (ie not where he'd grown up and lived all his life).

You really think a Muslim would go to AMERICA to avoid racism?

...and he hasn't even moved to the USA. He trains there.

Inteteresting thread- but look it's simple - I'm Irish and while being a boxing fan mostly follow and invest my hopes in Matt Macklin, Tyson Fury, Lee, Fitzgerald and so on. Sorry if that int politically correct but it's true! Khan is seen by many Brits as a Muslim fighter not a British fighter. He even said if he were white he would be a superstar with unanimous support - like hatton! Britain has a very different situation than the USA regarding anti Muslim stuff - they haven't got the same Muslim areas of city's and due to the size of America domestic anti Muslim stuff ain't the same. And khan will never have big enough profile in USA for his religion to become a major problem but in a small country like Britain it is different. Yes he moved to USA for money and to be closer to roach but you can't ignore the racist abuse he suffered - especially in places like Glasgow and Manchester!

JDC wrote:None of your options.

He was a young lad who needed to be in a more professional setting (ie not where he'd grown up and lived all his life).

You really think a Muslim would go to AMERICA to avoid racism?

Muslims aren't a race.

In answer to the op: He certainly isn't popular. I don't think it's anything to do with race or religion, he isn't one of those people who broadcasts their religion ad nauseum. I don't think he'd be popular even if he'd never been near tw@tter, the fact that he's so thick, the way he talks points to a person who had he not made it as a fighter, would be hanging around on a street corner saying 'safe' and 'blood' a lot, stinking of weed and generally lowering the tone. That's when not blasting crap music at ridiculous volume while driving a Golf dangerously.

I don't think running over that man did him any favours either.

mrbassie wrote:

JDC wrote:None of your options.

He was a young lad who needed to be in a more professional setting (ie not where he'd grown up and lived all his life).

You really think a Muslim would go to AMERICA to avoid racism?

Muslims aren't a race.

In answer to the op: He certainly isn't popular. I don't think it's anything to do with race or religion, he isn't one of those people who broadcasts their religion ad nauseum. I don't think he'd be popular even if he'd never been near tw@tter, the fact that he's so thick, the way he talks points to a person who had he not made it as a fighter, would be hanging around on a street corner saying 'safe' and 'blood' a lot, stinking of weed and generally lowering the tone. That's when not blasting crap music at ridiculous volume while driving a Golf dangerously.

I don't think running over that man did him any favours either.

Racism exclusive to races?

He isn't my man. And I'm not saying racism is more or less in in the UK. The USA certainly isn't an Islam haven, that's for sure.

umm yes racism is exclusive to race, that's why it's called racism.

Racism is a specific word though, if you want to speak more broadly surely you should say prejudice?

Anyway, that last fight was pretty entertaining, Reda Zam Zam stopping Bronislav Kubin at the end of the fifth. Zam Zam is entertaining but limited.

Does anyone think Bunce sounds a bit like Terry Tibbs from Phonejacker? I keep thinking he's going to ask Lillis if he has any wooden ladders from sale!

Livingstone Cole wrote:

Shambles wrote:Anyway, that last fight was pretty entertaining, Reda Zam Zam stopping Bronislav Kubin at the end of the fifth. Zam Zam is entertaining but limited.

Does anyone think Bunce sounds a bit like Terry Tibbs from Phonejacker? I keep thinking he's going to ask Lillis if he has any wooden ladders from sale!

Right, so we were going off-topic, so you decide to take it waaaaayyy off topic. :)

Ha! I may have posted that in the wrong thread!!

Bleak wrote:The MAB fight was the first time I realied this was the case during his ring entry, I know some tried to dismiss this but he was booed in by large parts of the crowd, I couldnt believe it but it happend right there

More to do with MAB being a legend, and Khan being a bit of a knob.

Because he comes across as cocky and having messed up a few times its come back to bite him

British fans only support people who fall into set guidelines and dislike everyone else - I cant recall one cocky british boxer that has been liked that much, everyone likes the working class underdog.

British people love to complain and bitch about anything remotely good we have a chance of producing:

London Olympics - Its going to be shit
Millenium Dome - waste of tax payers money
High speed train line - not worth it


Also regardless of peoples denial a lot of sports fans mainly the football fans dont like him because he's asian, we all know the views of a proportion of the white working class.

Khan not fitting the mould is why people wanted to see him fight john murray and lose.

I don't buy the racism thing at all. I don't remember Naz being disliked because he was Asian. And Khan was very popular when he first turned pro, after the Olympics.

People dislike Khan for his personality and actions, and it's very easy and convenient for some to claim "racism" because he happens to be Asian.

My views on him are mixed. Sometimes he comes across ok, others he makes a right twat of himself (e.g. Post-fight interview after Peterson)

What I don't understand is why anyone would pay a not-inconsiderable amount of money to see him fight, if you're just going to boo him?

We're all Earthlings, in different colours. I have no time for religion of any shape or form , period.

My take is that Khan turned pro with a ready made fan base of millions (inc myself) but has steadily decreased that number with every comment, every brag and every tweet.

Livingstone Cole wrote:Can I start another row on semantics and inform you that Naz is not, in fact, Asian?

He actually is Asian, although not in the way Asian is typically meant in the UK, which usually refers to Indian sub-continent.
His family was from Yemen, which is in Asia.
On the previous pointless row, if you abuse people for being muslim, you are racist

Clean shaven, Wet look hair gel combined with his accent is the reason

Explain to me how Jews were not seen as part of ''the master race'' if religion does not apply. The term racist came from this era.

G0mez wrote:We're all Earthlings, in different colours. I have no time for religion of any shape or form , period.

My take is that Khan turned pro with a ready made fan base of millions (inc myself) but has steadily decreased that number with every comment, every brag and every tweet.

Sums it up nicely.

Amir did very much have that unanimous British roar type following very early on, but his maturing from boy to man seems to have lead to a massive drop off in popularity. There was an initial feeling that he was going to be the next, though more universally palatable (!) , Nazeem Hamed. Super talented like Naz with great natural leverage and power and speed, he then almost immediately seemed to be brought on too quick, too soon. This dramatically and quickly proved to be the case.

The much needed reparation job of which Freddie Roach of course soon became instrumental in seemed to create more than just an improved all round boxer. His natural fighting skills seemed to be curbed to a degree that the natural fighting style that Charley Goldman always said should not be interfered with was subtly done so to and it had a deleterious affect as well as a positive one. The positive of course led eventually to winning versions of the title. The deleterious was to his naturality, which in turn affected his personality. Put simply, he was not being totally himself.

This more guarded and considered fighter became a more guarded and less naturally charming person than the young Amir had been. This seemed only to become more compounded the more criticism he rapidly received, some of which was undoubtedly and unacceptably rooted in anti race and religious sentiment. He understandably became even more guarded and combative in the defence of all things Khan.

I firmly believe that if Roach had been there from the start it could have been different both at maintaining and improving on the naturality of this undoubtedly talented boxer and nice guy. I have experienced first hand on a train the type of confrontational hyperbole that is generated by team Khan and it is neither pleasant nor encouraging for someone who is very much a hopeful well wisher for Amir’s future.

As well as further improving as a fighter, Amir Khan could be a much more unifying leading role model for his sport, country and race. I strongly hope that as he ages, matures, and it could all so easily start with this next watershed fight coming up, that Amir becomes, well, more himself.

Its not that british public don't respect him, and its not racists, hamed got a massive following he was very religious but no one cared.

Khan overrates himself, public can see right through him. Truth is he is just above average at world level and hasn't proved that he is class. Maybe proved his balls against Maidana but Maidana has looked crap since, beaten by Alexander, who beat Maidana alot better than Khan who just carries on like a fast handed brawler, very amateur without skills or brains and without any real power - who has he KO'd - you cannot count Zab super quitter Zudah

Truth is Khan says his lb for lb stating he can match it with Mayweather / pacman, thats why his not popular cos realistically he is no where near when his been beaten by Prescott and Peterson.

People will always critisise when your made into a star and don't perform, also self promoting, overrating dosn't help. Worst of all playing on the racists bandwagon as a reason for not being popular is like shooting yourself in the foot, its nought to do with racism but some might start after these type of accusations.

Truth is people like hamed got a lot of fans as fans always backed him to KO or beat everyone he fought including Barrera!! He took countless risks to land his huge shots, he was brave. Against Peterson who isn't a big puncher Khan backed off because Peterson was gunning for him, he fought like a pussy. First decent fighter Amir fights like a bradley or even a goodon at welterweight fans will be only giving him a 50/50 chance.

He was doing OK in the states for popularity before Peterson but accusing officials and blaming the referee excuses for losing to Peterson has lost him alot of fans in the states - acting like a bad loser

This does sound like a troll post to me .....

However, to answer the question .... Amir Khan had massive public support following the Olympics.

So did Audley Harrison, although both have seen a decline in their popularity - even though Khan has been successful.

Previous comments have indicated possible reasons, and I genuinely do not think that it is a race issue. When you look back over the last 10 years or so and see which boxers have transcended the sport and had massive crossover appeal you are looking at Hatton, Audley, Khan, Naz, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Frank Bruno etc. etc. so you can't tell me that race/colour/religion is a factor.

At the end of the day, Khan constantly comes across as a proper bell end, and this is the reason his popularity has declined.