Amir Khan (boxer)

“I don't back any party, I'm better off setting an example.”

“I was a mummy's boy; I still am. My mum still gets rid of the spiders off my walls. She comes over, picks them up and chucks them outside. There may be one in my bedroom, and I'll never sleep.”

“I always pray before fighting. I pray in the corner, in the hotel room – maybe two hours before I go to the arena. It takes me far – I see a big difference when you pray and go into a fight; you have more strength and also you know God’s helping you.”

“I’m born in Britain – but my family were born in Pakistan. When I fight, in the crowd you see Pakistani people and you see British people – they’re all mixed together and they support Amir Khan. On my shorts, when I fight, I have the Pakistani flag on one side and on the other side I have the Britain flag – to promote the two countries together.”

“When I was young, I was very energetic and strong – just too hyperactive. So when I went to the boxing club, everything seemed normal to me. I enjoyed it, I liked punching things, hitting the boxing bag, fighting people in the boxing ring and in school I was naughty as well; but when I started boxing, I totally changed everything – you know, my whole life changed, I was good, I didn’t misbehave, I was always behaving in school. The teacher was happy with my behaviour.”

“At the age of eight, my dream was to become a world champion; and now I've achieved that title. I've achieved it not only for myself, but achieved it for the British people and also the Pakistani community - and all the Muslims in the country. It's a great feeling, a dream come true for me and Insha'Allah in the future, I want to achieve more things like this.”