Amir Khan is at a real crossroads in boxing as his personal life threatens to derail him completely away from the sport
AMIR KHAN hasn’t officially retired but, just when he should be at his peak, it would be no surprise if he didn’t fight again.
British boxing is booming and Khan — one of our most talented stars — should be at the forefront alongside Anthony Joshua and our other nine world champions.
Sadly, 30-year-old Khan seems to have his finger firmly on the self- destruct button and, as a result, has dropped off the radar.
The former two-time world welterweight champ hasn’t fought for 15 months since that horrific knockout defeat against Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas.
In fact, he has had just two fights in the last three years, which means his name has been removed from the top-15 rankings by all four of the world championship bodies.
Long periods of inactivity usually play havoc with fighters and do nothing for their well-being. It badly affects their speed and reflexes and often leads to the softening of mind and body.
Khan is making matters far worse for himself. Since the vitriolic break-up of his four-year marriage to wife Faryal Makhdoom, he has been spending more time in bars and nightclubs than the gym.
He has also fallen out with his parents and sisters. Khan and Faryal have been washing their cringe- making dirty linen in public.
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My colleague, Laura Armstrong, reported in The Sun on Sunday that Faryal is threatening to throw more dirt by revealing the full extent of his partying and womanising.
A friend is quoted as saying: “He is a lovely guy but loves partying hard, drinking, smoking sheesha and going out with beautiful women.”
That sounds like we have found a mini Mike Tyson, who was never the same once he discovered the delights of the vine and female flesh.
What Khan should be doing is chasing welterweight kings Keith Thurman, Errol Spence and Jeff Horn.
But I doubt he still figures high on the top promoters’ wishlists.
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Not that long ago, a domestic dust-up with Kell Brook would have drawn mega-bucks and filled a football stadium.
But that fight between two losers must now be dead in the water.
After Khan was knocked cold by Alvarez’s brutal right-hand punch, his traumatised wife and mother pleaded with him to quit.
But he vowed to continue, claiming he still had a good few years left.
If he insists on trying to resurrect what’s left of his career, he should be made aware that hedonism and pugilism make for extremely uncomfortable bedfellows.
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