Boxing: Khan ready to fulfil ABA ambition

AFTER 19 fights in 2004 Amir Khan will enter this year's Amateur Boxing Association of England's championships tonight for his first fight of 2005.

Khan, who finally turned 18 just before Christmas, has decided to move from lightweight to light-welterweight, an increase of four kilos, to begin his pursuit of the domestic title. Khan will join five other local hopefuls in the East Lancashire regional stage at the Guildhall, in Preston.

"Since winning the silver in Athens I have been under a lot of pressure to turn professional, but all that I have ever wanted to do is win the ABA title and at last I will start,'' Khan said. "I'm amazed that some people think that it will be easy for me to breeze to the final and win but I know, because I grew up with a lot of these boxers, that everybody in my weight will fancy beating me."

There is even the possibility that Khan will not leave the Guildhall with the East Lancashire title because of an ABA rule that prohibits boxers from fighting more than twice during one day.

"I'm used to boxing a lot during a short time and to be honest I like that, so I will just have to wait and see what happens when the draw is made,'' Khan said.