How had Khan felt about his quarter-final fight against the South Korean, Baik Jong-sub? Had he expected to win? Did he imagine it would be as decisive as it was? So the questions flowed. What about the next opponent Khan had faced, the Kazakstan boy, Serik Yeleuov? Did the British boxer believe he could make it all the way to the final? It was the usual sort of press conference. Then, on the seventh question, someone thought to ask Khan how he felt about having just won a bronze medal. In fact, how had he felt about becoming the youngest fighter since Floyd Patterson to win a boxing medal at the Olympics? “Who?” Khan whispered to Edwards. “Floyd Patterson,” replied his coach, “from way back.”
The remarkable bit was, of course, the fact that it took seven questions for anyone to get round to the winning of the bronze medal. It had been assumed that Khan would do it, almost taken for granted. The expectation was not misplaced, because Khan had destroyed Jong-sub as decisively as he had dismantled the European champion, Dimitar Stilianov of Bulgaria, in the previous round. In fact, the referee had had to step in with 23 seconds left on the clock in the first round, when Khan fired a barrage of blows that left his opponent dazed.
Though he spoke with enthusiasm about how pleased he was to have assured himself of at least a bronze medal, Khan himself was far from surprised by his achievement — and though he would first have a semi-final to face against the tough Kazakstani, he could not stop himself from anticipating a final showdown against the 33-year-old Cuban, Mario Cesar Kindelan.
As dangerous as it was to look so far ahead, Khan did see off his semi-final opponent and his meeting with Kindelan in this afternoon’s lightweight (60kg) decider promises to be the highlight of the Olympic boxing competition. For as outrageous as Khan’s progression to the final has been, it is almost preposterous to suggest that the kid can beat the Cuban. Almost, but not quite.
The Cuban is a three-time world champion. He is the current Olympic champion and in the greatest of all boxing nations, he is considered a legend. How can a 17-year-old from Bolton, who had just seven senior fights before qualifying for the Olympics, dare to believe in his chances against an acknowledged master? It is nothing more nor less than extraordinary talent — and Khan has it.
Advertisement
They have already met in the ring at the pre-Olympic tournament in Athens. Kindelan won, but Khan insists he can do much better this time: “I was rushing in then. I’d never boxed him before and didn’t know what to expect. I think this time it’ll be a totally different fight. I’ll be more patient. It’ll be a tough fight — he did hit me last time, he is powerful but it will be closer now.
“Anything could happen. I might just catch him with a shot and knock him out. I’m confident there is a chance. I know that I’ve got a reigning champion (next) and I’m confident. I’m just buzzing to get in the final. I couldn’t ask for more, to be in the final. I think I’ll give him a good fight and we’ll just have to see what happens.”
Pleasantries have already been exchanged between the two fighters in the athletes’ Olympic village.
“Yeah,” said Khan, “he’s like a different person (towards me) now. He said ‘good luck’ to me for one fight and always says good morning, asks me how I’m doing. It’s different from before. I thought he was a bit arrogant before. Maybe he’s a bit worried about me now.”
Khan has breezed through to this afternoon’s final, a breath of fresh air at a Games desperately in need of the innocence and the idealism that he brings. Four-time gold medal winner Matthew Pinsent turned up at his fight on Friday evening and cheered on his fellow Briton. The kid, too, was cheered by that.
Advertisement
“I mean I was looking at guys like Pinsent at the last Olympics. Now they’re coming to watch me. It’s weird isn’t it?” Pinsent wasn’t the only Khan fan in the arena. His parents and many family members have travelled to Athens. Shajaad, his father, moved from Islamabad in Pakistan to the north of England in 1970 and the family now live in Bolton. His cousin is Sajid Mahmood, who has played cricket for the England one-day side, and it has been one of the more unusual sights at the boxing arena to see English cricket jerseys and hats so much in evidence.
Even Prince Naseem Hamed, Britain’s former world featherweight champion, has joined the Khan fan club. Naseem interrupted his holiday on the Algarve to ring Khan in Athhens to wish him luck before his semi-final victory. “He’s got the lot,” said the former champion. “He’s done things that even I never did and I pray he will win the gold medal.
“When I came out here on holiday, the first thing I did was make sure I had access to a TV so I could watch the boxing. People might compare him to me, but really we have different styles. Even so, for a kid of 17 he is tremendous.”
The joy the teenager brings to the arena has been undeniable, and it comes from seeing so much talent in one so young. Of course, much work remains to be done before his gifts can be fully developed and his natural ability is hardened by experience and improved technique. But the limitations of age do not preclude from marvelling at the wonder of him.
Edwards has described Khan as the best boxer he has ever seen. “The performance against Stilianov amazed me, just amazed me,” said the GB coach. Khan’s speed, both in his hands and in his feet, is hugely impressive. He is well balanced and a big puncher for one so young. In the fights against Stilianov and Yeleuov, he started nervously and only relaxed in the third and fourth rounds. Then there were moments of unquestioned class, as he moved at a speed that bewildered tiring opponents.
Advertisement
Two years ago he became the Under-15 champion running at 1500m for Greater Manchester, covering the distance in a highly respectable 4min, 40sec. His athletics coaches believe he could have been a decent middle distance runner.
Allied to the athleticism is the hard edge of the fighter. When he sensed weakness in his quarter-final opponent, he didn’t hesitate to finish things off. The fight was midway through the first round. Against Yeleuov, he looked for the big punch that would have ended the contest in the final round and just missed finding it.
Outside the ring, Khan speaks of continuing his course in sports development at Bolton Community College and how he would like to go on to study sports science or physiotherapy at Loughborough. As for his career, he came to Athens with the intention of gaining experience to underpin his pursuit of a medal at the Beijing Olympics four years from now.
Through a family friend, the Khans have asked the Bury-based solicitor Gareth Williams to help them with the decisions that must be taken over the next 12 months. “At this moment emotions are high,” said Williams at the Peristeri arena. “A lot of things are being written about Amir. Well-known boxing promoters are saying he’ll be a multi-millionaire by 20.
“What’s important is that he enjoys the moment, enjoys the occasion of the Olympics. Ideally he gets a gold medal, at worst he goes home with silver. What we need to do is then go back to England, let the dust settle and make a decision on what is best for him and his career. I don’t know what that decision should be.”
Advertisement
The experience of the Olympics has been beyond Khan’s dreams so far. He stayed in the same apartment in the athletes’ village as Nathan Robertson, a silver medallist for the GB team at badminton. Before Khan had begun his journey to today’s final, Robertson had already won his medal. “I saw it (the silver medal) after my first fight. I saw it and told him I wanted one. I’ve had a lot of support from the British team.”
It is easy to support him. For his talent also comes with decency. He is confident without being cocky, and he is not unaware of the significance of the startling attention he is now earning.
“Asians are thin on the in British teams,” he said the other evening. “It’s a big thing for me to get a medal and I hope it can encourage a lot of Asians into sport and show that with the support of your family, as an Asian you can achieve anything you want.”
“He can be a role model for the Asian community,” says Williams, “but I also believe he has the character and the personality to be a role model for all British people, not just Asians.”
First, of course, there is the matter of Kindelen. The Cuban is a southpaw and, in terms of style, they shouldn’t suit the British boxer. “Before coming here, I used to hate sparring southpaws, but I think I’ve come along so much in the last 10 days,” Khan said.
Advertisement
“The Kazakstani guy in the semi-final was a southpaw and awkward for me. But I got round that. I am learning fast.”
And he had needed to.
Lightweight final, 12.40pm, BBC1