Amir Khan risks committing professional suicide if he goes through with his bid to box in the Rio Olympics on behalf of Pakistan.
It would alienate much of his support in Britain, for whom he won a silver medal at the Athens Games.
And his statement, on a visit to Karachi, that he wants to represent his family’s country of origin in Rio, could prompt repercussions that would hit him even harder than the punch from middleweight Canelo Alvarez which knocked him out in Las Vegas last month.
Khan is in negotiation for a re-match with Danny Garcia, who inflicted one of his two previous KOs, but for whose welterweight title he is the mandatory challenger.
But the WBC, whose belt would be at stake, has confirmed its intention to suspend for two years any fighters who compete in Rio, after the decision by the world governing body of amateur boxing, AIBA, to admit professionals. Khan’s challenge to Garcia represents his only realistic chance of an immediate return to the ring in a high-profile, big-money fight.
But WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman says: ‘The WBC reiterates total opposition to allowing professionals to fight amateurs in Rio 2016... severe mis-matches could end in tragedies.’
Khan, although more mature now at 29, still has a tendency to knee-jerk reaction. When asked about the Olympics during his visit to Pakistan, his reply was couched in courtesy.
Now, with his career at risk, this well-meaning young man must take some time out to fully think through the implications of reawakening his Olympic dream. Fight Danny Garcia, Amir. Not the world. – Daily Mail