Boxing: Golden Boy Khan turns back on Warren

Khan has ditched Frank Warren (GETTY IMAGES)

In the last 15 years Frank Warren has watched helplessly as his world champions Naseem Hamed, Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe all left his promotional guidance to control their careers and it now looks like Amir Khan has done the same.

Khan has agreed a promotional deal with Oscar De La Hoya's company Golden Boy and is expected to fight Hatton victim Paulie Malignaggi, and almost certainly without the World Boxing Association belt that Warren helped him win. Warren was unavailable for comment yesterday, but he spoke last week: "I said I would make him a champion and I did. I just hope that people don't suffer amnesia."

The move means three of Britain's top four fighters are with Golden Boy. Khan joins David Haye and Hatton, leaving only Carl Froch under British control.

A purse bid for Khan's defence against Argentina's Marcos Rene Maidana was due to be concluded in Caracas today, but that fight and the WBA light-welterweight title now look destined to be scrapped. Khan will lose the belt outside the ring if he goes ahead with the Malignaggi fight.