The Interview: Amir Khan

This has been a difficult week for Amir Khan. The great young hope of British boxing has been preparing for his severest test in the ring since the Olympic final in Athens three years ago amid the aftermath of attempted terrorist atrocities which have again turned the spotlight on the Asian community for which he has become an icon.

He is increasingly conscious that he now has an even tougher fight on his hands than the one which will pit his razzle-dazzle skills against Scotland's Commonwealth lightweight champion Willie Limond at the O^₂ Arena (formerly the Millen-nium Dome) in London next Saturday night.

The 20-year-old Khan knows he has to convey a message: that in an age of escalating acts of terrorism, and gun and knife crime, it is the duty of high-profile young sports stars like himself to show that there is another way of life for children from different ethnic backgrounds, and that this can be achieved through sport.

He hopes that he can demonstrate to "all the kids in Britain that there are better things to do with your life than getting into trouble and mixing with bad people". He says he feels a great responsibility to show kids the way. "I'd like them to be thinking, 'We can do what Amir's doing'. I'd like to see them get into gyms, work hard and get any aggression or anger out of their system. I just hope I can motivate them in wanting to do what I do or even better, which is why I am excited about the opening of my new gym in Bolton, which will be available to all kids in the community to work out, get fit and learn to box if they want.

"Those of us from different ethnic backgrounds, like Lewis Hamilton and myself, are carrying the flag for Britain by doing our thing, being ourselves and wanting to become world champions. We are good at our jobs and people like us and respect us for that. We can set an example.

"When I went to the boxing gym for the first time as an eight-year-old, I was the only Asian there. After the Olympics I saw a lot more. I went to a school where there were British and Asian kids and they were all my friends. We chilled together, and still do. I've never thought of myself as different.

"Britain is a great country because there are so many races and it is good to see many youngsters like myself, Lewis, footballers like Theo Walcott and all the others coming through. It can only help make things better. There is such tremendous talent there, which is also great for the future of British sport.

"Like my cousin, Sajid Mahmood [the Lancashire and England cricketer], I've always felt completely British. I loved making the British people happy in Athens, and I still do. I was born here, grew up here, went to school here. Just like everyone else.

"If I can bring all different races together, that is great. And I hope that Saj and I can open the eyes of young Asians and show them that, if we've done it, they can do it as well."

The Khans exude Britishness, from his father Shah's famous Union Jack waistcoat to Amir's familiar greeting of "Ow yer doin', mate?"

His accent is as Lancastrian as hotpot. Since winning the Olympic silver medal his views have been sought on everything from the waywardness of footballers to suicide bombers. He has handled this with an aplomb beyond his years.

Khan first made his position on terrorism abundantly clear after the London bombings in July 2005, shortly before his whirlwind professional debut victory against David Bailey, which he dedicated to the victims of the 7/7 atrocities.

As he wrote in his biography, now reprinted in paperback, Amir Khan, A Boy From Bolton: "All I could do was stand up and tell the world that not all Asian lads grow up to be crazed terrorists and killers. I might look like them, culturally I was linked to them, but in reality, I had more in common with the victims."

Khan recalls: "On the night of the fight I walked out with a British flag. I wanted to show people that Asian lads like me were proud to be British. My mates in the crowd had a massive flag, half Union Jack and half Pakistani, with the slogan 'Knock Out Terrorism' on it.

The crowd responded brilliantly. That night in Bolton made me feel so proud. I was fighting a white English lad, yet they were all shouting for me."

They played "Land of Hope and Glory" during his ring walk at the Bolton Arena and the word "London" had been stitched into the Union flag. "That was down to me," he says. "Like everyone, I was upset about the London bombings."

He is clearly just as angry at what is happening now - "which has nothing to do with my faith as I understand it", Khan says.

That faith is important. He reads the Koran, prays in his corner before every fight and attends his local mosque on Fridays. But unlike his fellow Asian Muslim forerunner Naseem Hamed, he does not irksomely preach or proselytise, and his commitment to Britishness will be evident again on his shorts and dressing gown when he climbs into the ring against Limond, a highly competent boxing technician, for his first 12-round title fight.

Such is the Amir allure that last week several hundred turned up in the foyer of the O₂ Arena just to watch him box his own shadow, and an anticipated 11,000 crowd for the reborn venue's first major sports event will feature the biggest Asian sports following outside an England Test match against India or Pakistan.

Says Khan: "What I've done differently for this fight is the conditioning work, because it's going to be tough. It's been a hard slog in a 10-week training camp - my longest ever. I feel fitter now than I've ever been. My physique seems to have changed into a man's body and I feel I have matured mentally, too. I am going to beat Limond in style.

"This is a fight that will move my career on to the next level. He's a good fighter but his style is made for me. It won't be a brawl. It will be wicked, with good clean punching, but I don't think it will go the distance."

Khan has 12 wins in 12 fights. Limond, 28, has lost one in 29, to the fierce-hitting fellow Scotsman Alex Arthur for the British super-featherweight title in 2003. Since then Limond has won 10 bouts, acquiring the European Union super-featherweight and Commonwealth lightweight titles. He is ranked No 13 by the WBO and vows: "I'll be in there boxing my socks off."

It could be argued that this title shot in only his 13th fight has come a tad too soon for Khan, brought about by the pressures of television, which wanted to see a quicker return for its investment. But the one thing Khan does not lack is self-belief.

He adds: "This is a big step up for me. Some people say my last two fights have been easy, but that's because I've made them look easy. People wonder if I can take a punch because I've not been hit, but the thing is, they can't catch me. I need a fight like this to give me that push towards my ambition of winning a world title by the time I am 21."

Some cynics might say that Khan has been fed a diet of stiffs, but like all apprentices with the potential to become sorcerers he has needed a learning curve. Now there can be no doubt that Limond, while not the hardest of punchers, will give him the most serious examination since he stepped into the ring after only three senior bouts as a 17-year-old for that epic Olympic final with arguably the greatest amateur of all time, Mario Kindelan of Cuba. He lost spiritedly on points but later reversed the decision in a home-coming bout in Bolton before turning pro.

Although Khan is the main attraction, top billing goes to the unbeaten Londoner Nicky Cook's deserved fight for the vacant WBO featherweight title against the useful American southpaw Steven Luevano (one loss in 33 fights) while veteran heavyweights Michael Sprott and Matt Skelton contest the Commonwealth crown in a bout which was delayed because the challenger, Sprott, injured a leg running for charity in the Reading half-marathon. This is an encounter that has the capacity to be either torrid or tedious.

Sprott was last seen blighting the career of Audley Harrison, and will be looking to avenge an earlier knockout defeat by the rumbustious Bedford brawler. Skelton, who is now way past his 40th birthday, has not fought for a year, which could be a crucial factor if it goes the distance.

However, the focus will be on the kid Khan's battle to secure both his first title and, with the help of a fistful of gifted contemporaries, the hearts and minds of a young generation he hopes can be converted to the patriot game.

LIFE AND TIMES: From Bolton to the big time

BORN: 8 December 1986, Bolton.

VITAL STATS: 5ft 10in, 9st 12lb.

AS AN AMATEUR: Three English Schools and Junior ABA titles, Junior Olympics, European Championships and World Junior Championships gold, Olympic silver medallist 2004.

AS A PRO: Signed three-year deal with Frank Warren worth over £1m. Has won all 12 pro bouts.

AND ANOTHER THING: Bolton Wanderers fan. Cousin Sajid Mahmood plays cricket for Lancashire and England. Amir was Greater Manchester age-group champion at 1500m and javelin. Brother Haroon (15) is a promising amateur boxer.

Further reading: 'Amir Khan, A Boy From Bolton' (Bloomsbury, £7.99)