Warren salutes Khan's bravery

14 April 2012

While promoters and administrators today continued to squabble over the future of Amir Khan, Britain's brightest boxing prospect received praise for taking on Mario Kindelan in a re-run of their Olympic lightweight final.

Frank Warren, Britain's leading professional promoter, has made it clear he would like Khan to make his debut as a paid fighter on the undercard to Ricky Hatton's world title showdown with Kostya Tszyu in Manchester on 4 June.

But it can be revealed that Khan's management and the Amateur Boxing Association of England are still negotiating over the teenage sensation's appearance in an amateur international scheduled for July.

That is despite Khan's own official website claiming the rematch with Kindelan, the Cuban veteran who beat his young rival to the gold medal 30-22 in the Olympic final, will be the 18-year-old's last fight as an amateur.

The only individual to emerge with any credit from an unseemly situation is Khan himself who has insisted on facing Kindelan despite two previous losses to the world and Olympic champion regarded as the best pound-for-pound amateur boxer.

The contest, which has drawn ITV back into boxing after almost 10 years away from the sport, will take place at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on 30 April.

And Warren, who is helping to promote a bill aimed at raising funds for the NSPCC and the Bury amateur boxing club which helped hone Khan's talent, saluted the bravery of the Olympic silver medallist.

"Me? I'd have preferred him not to take this fight," said Warren, conscious that defeat could hurt Khan's value as a professional attraction. "But Amir wanted it and I really do admire him for taking it.

"There's not many amateurs who would put their futures at risk by taking such a fight. But Amir is showing what type of guy he is and what he's made of."

Knowing that this could be his amateur swansong before signing with a professional promoter, almost certainly Warren, Khan said: "I wanted a big fight and one that I could learn from. I have watched the Olympic final over and over on video and I don't think there was eight points in it.

"I've seen everything Kindelan does well and everything he does badly. But more than anything else I've seen where I can improve and I'm confident of winning.

"Beating Kindelan would mean so much to me. I want to beat him and show the world who is the best."

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