“We grew up in a nice house in a very middle-class area in Bolton and had a very happy childhood. My mum, Falak, who was also brought over from Pakistan by her parents as a kid, devoted herself to bringing up me and my younger brother and sister, Haroon and Tabinda, and my elder sister Mariyah.”

British former professional boxer

Amir Khan is a British former professional boxer, active from 2005 to 2022. Born and raised in Bolton, he first made his name as an amateur before moving into the professional ranks. He is known for his rise at the 2004 Summer Olympics and for the world title he later won as a young professional. At the Athens Games, Khan won a silver medal in the lightweight division and became Britain’s youngest Olympic boxing medallist at 17. He turned professional in 2005, was named ESPN prospect of the year in 2007, and went on to win the World Boxing Association title at 22. His career is marked by speed, ambition, and early success at both amateur and professional level.