Amir Khan’s Boxing Academy inaugurated at Islamabad. Amir Khan is inspiring the next generation in Pakistan and UK. British High Commissioner H.E.Mr. Thomas Drew CMG
By .Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad -The World Boxing silver welterweight champion Amir Khan on other day inaugurated a boxing academy at the Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad. The ‘Amir Khan Boxing Academy’ was inaugurated jointly by Thomas Drew CMG, H.E. British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Amir Khan’s father Sajad Khan , Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) DG Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera to train young talented boxers in Pakistan. Pakistan Boxing federation secretary Muhammad Akram, international fitness trainer Shahid ul Haq, founder president south asia sports journalists association SASJA Asghar Ali Mubarak and other dignities were also present at this occasion. British High Commissioner H.E.Mr. Thomas Drew CMG stated at the inauguration ceremony said”You came here to see a boxer not an Ambassador, so I will keep it short.”But what Amir Khan is doing here is about more than just boxing, so I do want to say a couple of things. British High Commissioner H.E.Mr. Thomas Drew CMG stated “When I heard the news of the death this morning of one of the world’s greatest boxers, I knew exactly what I wanted to say. Mohammed Ali was a great boxer, like Amir, but he was also more than that. He was an inspiration to millions throughout the world. He touched everyone, but had a particular impact on the young. He inspired not just through the grace of his boxing, but also through the sense of purpose he instilled – a desire and a determination to achieve in life. British High Commissioner H.E.Mr. Thomas Drew CMG stated “This is what tonight is about. Through his academies, Amir Khan is inspiring the next generation – in Pakistan and in the UK – themselves to achieve in life. I too therefore am very proud to be taking part in the opening of his academy in Islamabad – the first in Pakistan.British High Commissioner H.E.Mr. Thomas Drew CMG stated “As I said at the beginning, boxers and Ambassadors are very different beasts. What we do, however, have in common is our desire to help Pakistan, the 6th biggest country in the world, unleash its full potential. And we both recognise that in this fast growing country – where nearly 60% of the population is under 23 – that means investing in its youth. The British Government’s biggest development programme anywhere in the world is in Pakistan. And the biggest bit of that is in education. Only yesterday I opened a new British Council library for young people in Lahore and a new digital library for others across Pakistan. And we, like Amir, recognise through our programmes the power of sport – though I won’t claim to have anything like the pulling (or punching) power that he has.British High Commissioner H.E.Mr. Thomas Drew CMG stated “So, to return to where I started, this is a sad day for the world of boxing. But I take comfort too in the knowledge that an element of Mohammed Ali’s power to inspire future generations lives on in initiatives such as this. Earlier Amir Khan and PSB DG Akhtar Ganjera signed an agreement at Rodham Hall Islamabad. Under the agreement, Khan will provide coaches and equipment for the academy, while the PSB will support its functioning. “I really believe we can make several champions in this sport,” said the British boxer of Pakistani origin. The World Boxing Council Silver welterweight champion Amir, who became Britain’s youngest boxing medalist at the age of 17, has vowed to promote the game in Pakistan and bring out the country’s abundant boxing talent. Talking to the media Amir says, “Whenever I go to Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) events, I don’t see countries like Pakistan and it upsets me. “Aspiring boxers can win medals for Pakistan but they don’t have the facilities. This made me come back here and build the Amir Khan Academy established in Islamabad. Furthermore, he stated that Pakistan has a great potential to churn out a number of champions and winners. He will also be seeking the government’s help for launching an academy in the capital city. This decision to create an institute has come after he visited the country back last August with his wife and kid to meet relatives and extended family. He said that he would like to train Pakistani boxers himself and Pakistani talent has immense potential and that the 28-year old boxer firmly believes that all the country needs is better and enhanced training facilities. Amir Khan said that he wants to fight in Pakistan in order to serve the huge fan base he has in the country. Amir also holding a high-end charity event, under the aegis of the Amir Khan Trust raise funds for drilling two wells in Thar. Moreover, the receipts from the boxing event will be used to build water wells in Thar.British boxer Amir Khan has tribute to Muhammad Ali, saying that the boxing icon was a huge hero to him and is the greatest fighter of all time. Khan paid tribute to Ali after news broke out of his death on 4 June from his family’s native Rawalpindi in Pakistan. “He [Muhammad Ali] was a huge hero to me throughout my whole boxing career and still is a massive hero to me. He is the greatest of all time and I remember watching him at the age of eight-nine-year-old for the first time when I was sat with my father. He was telling me all about his boxing career, how great of a fighter he was, his amazing footwork moving around the ring,” he said.”But what I used to love more about Muhammad Ali was what he did outside of the boxing ring. For example all the charity work, helping the less fortunate and standing up for what he believed,” added Khan.Former world heavyweight champion Ali died at the age of 74, following a respiratory condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease. He was diagnosed with the disease in 1984.Nicknamed “The Greatest”, Ali was famous for his quick fists, dazzling footwork and outspoken attitude. He is generally regarded as the greatest heavyweight in the history of boxing and Sports Illustrated named him the top sportsman of the 20th century .
