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Edwards praises Khan

Terry Edwards, the British team’s boxing coach, has described Amir Khan as one of the most talented British boxers to emerge this decade - and one of the most relaxed.

The 17-year-old has taken the Olympic boxing competition by storm with his dazzling skills and powerful punching.

He stopped first-round opponent Marios Kaperonis on the outclass rule before dismantling Dimitar Stilianov in four one-sided rounds.

South Korea’s Jong Sub Baik stood in his way in the quarter-finals - but the young Briton blew him away inside a round to guarantee at least a bronze medal.

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He will face Kazakhstan’s Serik Yeleuov in a semi-final tomorrow night and, providing he comes through that stern test, he will meet Cuba’s Olympic champion Mario Kindelan in the final.

His performances have led some people to compare him with the very best amateur boxers over the years.

Speaking today in Athens, Edwards suggested that Khan’s potential is limitless.

“It’s very difficult for me to say how good he is because he’s only 17 and he’s awesome,” said Edwards.

“I can’t imagine what he going to be like at 19.

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“If he progresses like he has this last year then I really cannot say where he’s going to end up - I wish I could.

“He’s certainly ranked amongst the very, very best British fighters who have come through in recent years.”

It is inevitable that the top promoters will soon be falling over themselves to try to sign Khan.

And although no-one has tried to make contact with the young Briton during his time in the Greek capital, Edwards refuses to take any chances as Khan prepares for the biggest weekend of his life.

“Part of my job is to try to retain the focus with Amir,” he added.

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“I won’t allow any phone calls from outside, other than his immediate family.

“We vet every piece of reporting on him so I show him what needs to be seen. We won’t allow any direct calls from professional promoters. I won’t have that.”

One thing Edwards cannot protect Khan from is the pressure of competing in the world’s biggest sporting event.

However, he appears to take it all in his stride - even when he has to speak to the British media at post-fight press conferences.

“I’ve worked with Amir for a year now and I’ve been through some big tournaments with him, and his way of coping with it has been exactly the same here,” Edwards added.

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“So I don’t envisage him being any different here. He’s very calm, very level-headed. He feels like he’s here for the experience and that may have taken some of the pressure off of him.”