'I was shocked by how alienated these lads were,' says Khan

[IronBull]

Boxer Amir Khan is so worried by the growing number of alienated and disillusioned young men that he has ploughed £700,000 of his own money into a community gym and is running a four-week, intensive course for volatile youths with a history of criminal and violent behaviour.

'It is very easy for kids to get sucked into the negative side of street life,' he says. 'So many young people growing up today have no roots or structure to their lives at all.'

Khan was a troublesome, hyperactive eight-year-old when his father took him to the gym to see if boxing would help him burn off his excess energy. 'It gave me discipline,' says Khan. 'Now I want to give youngsters the chance to develop their character and self-esteem by aiming for new goals and making new friends in a safe environment.'

Khan agreed to take part in a three-part Channel 4 documentary, Angry Young Men, which starts a week on Tuesday. In it, he attempts to use both boxing and faith to succeed where the police, courts and anger management classes have failed: to convince six difficult youths with long histories of violent behaviour to channel their aggression and turn their lives around.


'I was actually very shocked,' says Khan. 'I saw how alienated and alone these lads were: they didn't have any strong, positive role models in their lives. They didn't have any hope or aspirations. They'd never achieved anything.


'If these youths are a reflection of others out there, then society is storing up trouble for itself if it doesn't do what it can now to help them.'



Angry Young Men, Channel 4, 21 August, 11.05pm


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[mike464]

700,000 of his money or ******'s money? Looks like a publicity gimmick to me.

[Napuis]

An expensive one if so...£700k, them's pretty pennies.

[achillesthegreat]

Khan's a good lad.

700 k is an expensive gimmick.

[IronBull]

700k for his own and public gym in bolton.. equipment, etc.

[achillesthegreat]

700k for his own and public gym in bolton.. equipment, etc.
The community gym they are talking about is the one he opened in Bolton right? or are they talking about ANOTHER gym?

[achillesthegreat]

Greedy for going with ******?

[GazOC]

I'd call it sensible rather than greedy...

[IronBull]

The community gym they are talking about is the one he opened in Bolton right? or are they talking about ANOTHER gym?

Yes the community gym in bolton... not another gym.

[IronBull]

****** offered him a million up-front, he bit his hand off. If he was so confident of winning a world title (and thus making millions off of that), why do the unmoral thing and go with that schmuck? Why not be a Haye or Froch and do it the right way? Nothing against Amir, because he was young and greedy, but I really would love for Haye and Froch to achieve more than Amir ever does.

Like Eubank and Lennox shunning Duff, ******, Barrett, Mendy and Eastwood for the unfancied Hearn and Maloney just because they got on with them better and they felt more genuine. And then achieving more than any of Duff's, ******'s, Barrett's, Mendy's or Eastwood's fighters - that was great!

Greedy? Khan did alot work for charity.. possibly done more charity work than Hatton and Calzaghe did.

- last year khan travelled with oxfam to Muzaffarabad to see the charity's Earthquake Responce Program. He had helped to raise £107,000.

- Also he signed alot of gloves for tsunamai auctions and done alot of appearances at charity events.

- £700,000 new gym in bolton for public and himself

- Visited a lot charity dinner show

- Great Manchester Run

- Member of NSPCC - child cruelty for the NSPC

and more..
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[Shev]

Khan can't be serious. Of course there's pricks that think there hard, anyone can tell you that. He's just trying to be a media role model. More bucks in the bank when he wins a world title, thats why he's doing it.

[Amsterdam]

700,000 of his money or ******'s money? Looks like a publicity gimmick to me.

It is. They ought to have just been honest and used some of that 700,000 for the new technology coming out for wealthy boxers, cybernetic chin implants.

[Decebal]

It is. They ought to have just been honest and used some of that 700,000 for the new technology coming out for wealthy boxers, cybernetic chin implants.

:nono bad, bad Amsterdam!:tong

[bigG]

is this not indicative of how deeply suspicious, even paranoid we have become...a kid does something great for his community, does lots of charity work, appears to be a well grounded, likeable lad....and we are so ready to pounce on him, question his motives, put it down to publicity seeking etc.....isnt khan just basically a decent human being....??

[Shev]

Being a role model is always better for the bank account. That 700k is nothing compared to what he'll make if the media thrust him into that role model position like Beckham. His intentions might be good, but a program on tv about his philantrophy is always gonna raise eyebrows. I'm not skeptical just cynical.

[achillesthegreat]

:yep have to agree with ironbull. Amir does do a lot for charity.
Not as much as Kell though? :D

[achillesthegreat]

****** offered him a million up-front, he bit his hand off. If he was so confident of winning a world title (and thus making millions off of that), why do the unmoral thing and go with that schmuck? Why not be a Froch or Haye and do it the right way? Nothing against Amir, because he was young and greedy, but I really would love for Froch or Haye to achieve more than Amir ever does.

Like Eubank and Lennox shunning Duff, ******, Barrett, Mendy and Eastwood for the unfancied Hearn and Maloney just because they got on with them better and they felt more genuine. And then achieving more than any of Duff's, ******'s, Barrett's, Mendy's or Eastwood's fighters - that was great!
What you are saying is about as moronic as it comes.

Khan has been paid much more than Froch and Haye but is on course to taking the same route as them.

I don't see the issue.

[bigG]

id like some of the big earners, boxers or promoters to do something for james oyebolas family.....being a boxer and a doorman doesnt provide much in the way of a pension......

[Bobby]

i dont care if it is a publicity stunt cause its a great idea and whether or not khan gets good publicity those kids still get a shot to turn things around

[Outboxer]

Khan could most likely present proof that he'd cured Cancer and some people would still reply to this thread with 'lol china chin fraud money train lolz publicity stuntz u kno lolol'.

[Amsterdam]

Khan could most likely present proof that he'd cured Cancer and some people would still reply to this thread with 'lol china chin fraud money train lolz publicity stuntz u kno lolol'.

Think about it for a second, why else would that china chinned fraud cure anything for other than a publicity stunt for he and his greedy team to ruin boxing?

Think about it.... china chins = dangerous to society.:-(

LOLZ

[Outboxer]

He just can't win - he's his own worst enemy. After he nearly got blown out by Willie he should have just said: Yeah, i nearly screwed up there - better work on the defence. I'm glad Willie put up such a good fight.

rather than: yeah, I was in no trouble - I wasn't hurt.

I definitely agree there, I didn't like his comments after the fight.

He needs to learn some humility.

[rumour24tiger]

****** is the best promoter because he's been around longer. He stages the biggest shows at the biggest arenas.

However he doesn't get it all right. Sky got rid of him because they didn't like what they were paying for. ITV practically did the same, apart from keeping Khan on. Boxing on TV was dreadful when ****** got big contracts.

Now he's forced to make big fights because otherwise no one will have him on TV. So only now are we hearing of Calzaghe-Kessler, Macca-Cunningham, Arthur-Guzman. Hopefully all these happen.


Enzo Macca, Hatton (I'm talking Tszyu, before the defection) and Cazlaghe have had impressive recent performances. But Macca and Hatton were slow work, lots of showcases and shitty WBU fights. Re Calzaghe - apart from Lacy, what has he done that was even half watchable or meaningful since 2003? Nil.

****** also tried to split Hatton and Billy Graham (clever, that, very clever), won't make fights with other promoters (the other guy is never "serious"), poached Cook and Earl only for them to get exposed (Maloney did a way better job with Earl - see the Romanov fight).