Khan pulls out of ABA event after tickets row

Amir Khan has withdrawn from this year's Amateur Boxing Association of England championships because of a row over ticket allocation.

Khan, 18, was due to fight in the quarter-finals of the domestic event on Saturday at the Ocean Rooms in Galston near Lowestoft but he was only promised 10 tickets. Earlier this month, Khan's fights in the ABA championship took place at the Guild Hall in Preston in front of more than 3,000 people.

Khan was told that for this Saturday's fight, his club Bury would only receive 10 tickets, which is the standard allocation for all boxers in the early stages of the ABA championship. It is understood that there was an increased offer to 45 tickets early yesterday but Khan's agent had requested in excess of 300 in anticipation of coachloads of fans making the journey to Norfolk from Bolton, where Khan lives.

"My fear is that over 500 people will eventually make the journey and if they don't have tickets there could be chaos," said Asif Vali, who is related to Khan and has worked as his agent since the Olympics.

"If 500 people are trying to get in with just 10 tickets and there was even a slight bit of trouble, then the only person that would be blamed would be Amir. That would be very, very wrong. It has not been an easy decision to make and believe me we have spoken to everybody to try and resolve the problem but we have had to take the action that we have taken. It is a safety-conscious decision but Amir is devastated,'' Vali said.

It appears that part of the problem is that the Ocean Rooms, with a capacity of 820, will be partially converted on the night to allow some ticket holders to eat first and then watch the boxing. The tickets for the boxing and the meal are £23 and, like the normal seating tickets, they have all been sold.

"I have spoken to Amir's representatives and explained to them that in the ABA championships boxers are often give a set amount of tickets. I hoped he would not pull out," said the regional secretary Glen Saffer.

One solution could be that an increased offer for tickets in the evening is made and this is something that the ABA directors were trying to organise late last night. Perhaps another glint of hope is that Khan's decision to withdraw was made verbally and as yet a written version had not been received by the ABA. There is even the possibility that Khan could box in the afternoon, before 5pm, when the same venue hosts a regional round of the schoolboy championships.

If Khan and his opponent from Canvey Island, Johnny Martin, can be persuaded to box at 3pm, there is a possibility that he could have in excess of 250 tickets.

However, late last night Khan's father, Shah, speaking on Radio Five Live said there was no way back.

The other alternative and one that nobody at the English ABA is keen to consider, is that Khan will decide that enough is enough and that he is now ready to turn professional and start making some serious money.