AIBA may permit professional boxers to compete in Olympic Games, says British boxing star Amir Khan
British professional boxing star Amir Khan tipped off the media that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) is contemplating allowing professional boxers to compete in major amateur events like the Olympics, reports The Hindu.
Khan, who was in India to announce his plan to establish a chain of boxing academies, starting with Mumbai and Delhi, said he would waste no time in grabbing the opportunity if the decision bore fruit. The WBC Silver Welterweight Champion became Britain’s youngest ever Olympic boxing medallist when he captured a sliver at the 2004 Athens Games, aged seventeen.
Currently, AIBA regulations allow professional boxers to compete only in their own amateur tournaments, namely the World Series of Boxing and the AIBA Professional Games. Khan had this to say on the issue: “AIBA President Mr (Ching-Kuo) Wu is a good friend of mine and I was recently there in Doha for the amateur men’s World Championships on his invitation. I think they are changing the rules soon, that’s what I gathered from Mr Wu while speaking to him, that things will be changing soon.”
The twenty-eight-year-old made was not shy in admitting his intentions, saying, “The AIBA wants professional boxers to work with AIBA and they will allow them to go to Olympics. So imagine, I may have a second chance at the Olympics. That will be amazing and massive because everybody wants to go to Olympics.”
The former WBA and IBF Light Welterweight champion added, “I have heard that they are changing the rules and this would a great thing because pro boxers want to compete in the Olympics. I think it’s very good that they are (thinking of) bringing amateur and professional boxers together because end of the day it’s boxing and people want to watch good fights.”
Khan has also been in the news as a possible opponent for Manny Pacquiao in his final fight. The two are good friends and were sparring partners, but Khan is lobbying to be the man standing across from the Filipino star in his retirement fight.
He said, “Talks are going really well. They (Pacquiao’s team) are speaking to my team, I have just left it to my team. I fight anybody who is brought in front of me. If it’s Manny Pacquiao, it’s Manny Pacquiao if not then somebody else. But we are still waiting for response on what’s going to happen. That’s why I took a little break and came to India just to get away from all that because negotiating for a fight is not easy.”