Amir Khan’s journey in boxing has been nothing short of remarkable—Olympic silver medalist, unified world champion, and a pioneer for British-Asian representation in the sport. However, retirement has brought new challenges for the Bolton fighter, who admits he’s still adjusting to life outside the ring.
In an exclusive interview with The Sports Daily, Khan opens up about a chance meeting in Abu Dhabi with Jake Paul and his business partner Nikisa Badarian.
Their discussion ranged from the state of boxing to a potential return for Khan under Paul’s promotional umbrella. Khan described the encounter as surprisingly positive, revealing admiration for the duo’s efforts to rejuvenate the sport and protect fighters’ interests.
As for Jake Paul’s next opponent, Khan believes there are limited blockbuster names available, mentioning himself, Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao. He acknowledges his own cross-market appeal but remains content with his financial achievements and legacy.
What happened in Abu Dhabi where you met Jake Paul and Nikisa Badarian?
AK: “When I sat with them it was like a mini-negotiation [about] if I would ever step back in that ring again. I do say they’re very honest.
“I have a lot of respect for them. That’s why I would probably, if I was going to fight again, it’d be for someone like them. Because I respectfully think that they’re looking after the sport, and they’re looking after the fighters.
“We had a little chit chat about how boxing is going and stuff like that. I made it clear to them that Jake’s weight is too big. He’s too heavy. I walk around at 175. He walks around at 210. I think it’d be a mismatch. But there’s other fights out there. But we said, if they want to put a show on in Dubai, we could be a big help.
“We have all the contacts with all the Sheikhs and Dubai tourism, and also the Sports Council of Dubai, who can put events on. So we are here if they ever need any help and support from us.
“They did say that they’ve got a few names that they’re going to get back to me with. Maybe we will do something together. Like I said, at the moment, I don’t know if I’m going to do it or not. I don’t know If I have the energy, or if I have the motivation to get into it and do it again—go into training camp again. If it’s something that makes sense, and it’s something that I think is okay for my career, then maybe.
“I don’t want to take something that I know that I have to go into a hard training camp again. I’m going to end up pulling muscles.
“If I am going to do an exhibition, I want to train like an exhibition as well. I don’t want to be putting myself through blood, sweat, and tears. Those days are well past. So at the moment, let’s see what they come back with.
“When I met Jake in person—lovely guy, believe it or not. Huge respect. Look, at the end of the day, it’s all entertainment. And I just feel that, sometimes you have to say things to sell something, or sometimes you have to say something to get the audience engaged. We know that. And obviously he was cool with it. I was cool with it, and we just moved forward. He showed a lot of respect, he was just being nice.
“We were just talking like normal, like, really respectful. He never brought up anything negative, and was just talking about his last fight with Mike Tyson, talking about what he wants to do in his career. He asked me what I was going to do and he said: ‘Oh, you’re a great fighter. You have a lot of speed. How do you train up for speed?’ And then we just talked about training and where he’s going to train next.
“So, overall, he’s just a nice guy. I didn’t expect that from him, you know, like someone who I’ve talked shit about, and he’s talked shit about me. To meet each other in person, now we were just like brand new. I liked him for that reason.”
Who does Jake Paul fight next?
AK: “I think Conor McGregor. His only options now are Conor McGregor, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, or myself. You can also only sell these four big names that can sell, who else is there? I don’t really know any other big names that can pull in people.
“I hit the Asian market, I hit the Middle East market, I hit the America and the UK market, and the European market. Well, the same with Conor, same with Manny Pacquiao.
“I think there’s only a very few names for them to pick for those big numbers that they want again.”
Why do they want Amir Khan under their umbrella?
AK: “I just think knowing that I’ve got a big UK following. America as well, and also the Middle East and Asia. And then you’ll see all of the Muslim world watching that as well. You’ve got Muslims all around the world. I’ve been to places like the Philippines. I’ve bumped into other Muslim guys who recognize who I am.
“See, one thing about the Muslim community—we’ve always kind of stuck together. Everyone knows about each other. So I’m the only Muslim world champion that’s ever been who’s unified and become a big name. So when you say boxing, and you say “Muslim Boxer,” I think the first name they’re going to say is Amir Khan, no matter where you are in the world.
” I got promoted well in the UK by the TV networks and the media and everyone else. And also, the fan base we have, from not only Muslims but non-Muslims.
“One thing they could say about me is that whenever I’m in a fight, they know I’m in a tear-up. I’m in a proper fight. I’ve never shied away from anything, anyone, or any challenge. So maybe that’s why they think no matter when Amir Khan fights it’s going to be fireworks.
“I made in the region of 60, 70 million dollars in my career. And honestly, I’m very content. I don’t need to fight.
“Everywhere I go, I get paid to go places, I get paid to sit places. And honestly, I’m investing like crazy at the moment. I’m buying houses after houses and properties. I’ve just finished a wedding hall off, which cost me 12.5 million quid. But, it’s just paying me—that’s paying me almost a million quid a year. 800,000 a year, it’s paying me. So I’m good.
“At the end of the day, how much money do you need to survive? I’m doing really well. I’m giving more now to the less fortunate, I don’t really show much of it. I don’t really talk much about my foundation. But I’m doing a lot more charity, because God’s given me so much, and I want to use that money in the right way.
“The one thing about money, when it comes in, is that…I made good investments back in the day before I retired, you could take the wrong path.
“People don’t see me rolling around in Lamborghinis, Ferraris, or going to clubs and spending—getting 20 bottles for no reason, or drinking alcohol. I don’t really know that life. I don’t need to take private jets.
“If I could take a first-class seat somewhere, why take a private jet? So, I don’t want to live that life or show that life. Yeah, so I might go on a private jet now and then? If I’m with some friends, we’ll go on one.
“If I was very pushy on the boxing, like, ‘I want to fight again, I want to fight again,’ then it’d be different. I get deals thrown at me, and I’m like, it keeps you relevant. But other than that, I’m like no.”
I don’t know if you’ve seen the latest breaking news in this YouTube world, but Conor McGregor says that he’s in talks with the Indian family, the Ambani family, for a Logan Paul fight. I think Logan Paul’s last fight, 200 pounds. Conor McGregor last fought at 155 pounds. What do you think about that as a spectacle?
AK: “That’s not a bad fight for Conor because Conor is actually a big guy. When I stood against him, he’s only 10 pounds heavier than me normally, not fighting weight. But he is massive, he’s thick. So I think he must walk into the ring around about 175, anyway. So if that fight’s made at heavyweight, I think Conor could be fine. If you look at Logan’s Mayweather fight, he went into the ring and beat him, so I’m sure Conor could do the same. I don’t think Logan is as good as Jake. I think Jake’s the better one out of them two.
“Even though he’s a little bit heavier, I still think he’s very, very beatable. Conor McGregor by knockout because Logan is very limited as a boxer. He doesn’t punch as hard as Jake, and his skills are not as good as Jake’s. But It’d be massive. But I do think if it was with Jake, it’d be much bigger. Because if you look at Logan, he’s had losses, and he’s not really looked that great in fights. Jake is commercially a bigger fight.
“I think what’ll do better is Conor and Jake because they both can speak well, and they both work hard when they are in a press conference. That would be amazing. The amount of shit they’d be talking to each other would be massive. Whereas, Logan is on the quiet side. The quiet kid.”
Conor McGregor has basically said the Ambani family are going to be bankrolling this fight. What can you tell us about them?
AK: I know of them. I don’t know them personally. They own one of the most expensive houses in India. I think it’s called Antilia and he owns the richest, biggest house there. These guys are super rich.
“When it comes down to wealth, they’re one of the richest in Asia. If they want to put on a fight, a couple of million to them is nothing.”
You’ve obviously got a clear affection for Mike Tyson. When you hear Logan Paul saying whatever he said in the ring afterwards, “I kill you, Mike,” or “I kill that motherfucker.” What was your reaction to that?
AK: “Would Logan Paul have said the same thing to Mike Tyson back in his twenties? No, you wouldn’t. So, how can you say that to a legend? Mike should be very happy that he still made it to that fight. A 60-year-old guy. Mike Tyson is old, and you can’t disrespect him—he still has a young heart, young mind, but you can’t really be disrespecting a champion like that.
“And I saw Logan Paul, man, asking, “If you fight me, I’ll knock you out,” and it’s wrong to say that to a legend. If it was a street fight, I think it’d be a different matter. Mike Tyson would eat him alive. These YouTubers are all a bunch of clowns, really. They’re just hype jobs, all of them.They either want to fight people who are low below their weight class, or they want to fight someone who’s super old. Fight someone prime, fight someone at your own weight. These are YouTubers who were just a couple of years ago dressed up in costumes, you can’t be saying that to a champ like Mike Tyson because, at the end of the day, it disrespects the whole of the boxing community.”
Ngannou, Wilder: What do you think about that fight?
AK: “Wilder’s last fight was really bad. You always look at the last fight and Wilder is done to be honest with you. I like Wilder but Ngannou has the power to hurt him. Ngannou is not the best boxer but he put on a good fight against Fury and got knocked out against AJ. Ngannou is going to win that fight.
“Unless Wilder comes in as a different fighter with that fire in his belly. But lets leave Klitschko to sit in the past. Klitschko has made it clear that he doesn’t want any exhibition fights unless they are at the top level.”
How do you see Fury vs Usyk panning out?
AK: “I was speaking to Usyk about 7 months ago. He has been training for a very long time and he looked great. He is becoming a better heavyweight and filling in the weight well. It will be a good fight. You can’t blink when you are fighting against someone like Usyk because he is an animal. He is unbeaten. The first fight they had, I had Usyk winning by 2 points and it has to be the best Tyson Fury to beat Usyk. He can’t come in normal, he has to come in as his best. He has to put on the best performance of his life to win this fight.
“He has the media against him, he lost his last fight, the fans all think that Usyk is going to win. When Fury is under pressure he performs much better. You see what he did to Wilder. I think it could be Fury on points. It will be a close fight. It will be a fight where Fury starts putting the pressure on and starts putting him on his back foot and hurting him. Fury has that punch power, actually they both have that punch power. I feel that Fury is going in for the kill. There’s no boxing, he is going for the kill. It will be the uppercut that is going to catch Usyk.”
Would you ever consider buying a football club?
AK: “I was in talks of buying Bolton Wanderers one time, and obviously it fell through. Obviously, I love Bolton Wanderers, and I’ve been a big fan of the team. I was in talks and there was a small consortium that was going to go in and buy the club. And obviously, it just didn’t go through. End of the day, football I love, and it’s a massive sport in the UK.
“But my mindset’s a little bit different because [these days] I think about my future with my children and everything else. I’m not making the same kind of millions I used to make back in the day when I was a fighter. So now I’d be a little bit more careful. If I was offered a football team, I think two, three, four, five times before I say yes to it.”
You mentioned before about a Netflix show called ‘At Home with the Khans’, is that still in discussion? Anything you can reveal on comment on?
AK: “At the moment we are still in talks at the minute still. We were on BBC last time. So it is up to the BBC to commission it or allow it. They have all the content. If they pass it on then we can’t do it. I hope that BBC gives them the content so we can move forward with it. We’re really close to doing it. It depends on the BBC if they want to give the content.”
What do you think has been your best investment and worst investment
AK: “One of the worst investments was the wedding hall. But at the same time, it turned out to be a good investment as well, if you get what I mean. Because it took so long to get ready and everything else. I just lost heart for it, I then kind of gave up on it a little bit.
“But then, obviously, as time went on, I just put my mind to it. And I thought, I want to finish it off and once I finish it off, I’m sure it’s gonna pay me back well. And it is paying me back now, like, amazingly. The wedding season is huge, and it’s massive every time, in the summer and also winter now—people are getting married in winter as well. It’s a fully booked venue.
“I never thought it would be this feasible and this profitable. So really, from being a bad investment, it turned out to be a good investment. And at the same time as well, I’ve got some land at the back of it, which was part of the wedding hall, which now I’m getting millions for.
“So, I want to probably put money into that again and build houses and industrial units, and build more jobs for people and housing for the local Boltonians, because there is a massive shortage of housing in the UK. And I’ve got this land now, with the planning permission and everything approved. So I’m just thinking now, shall I build houses? I can build around about 200–300 houses. So, it’s worked out—from being a bad investment to a good investment.”
When was the last time you were starstruck?
AK: “Last time I was starstruck was when I met Denzel Washington in Vegas. I was just walking through the casino, I wanted to get out of the arena after a boxing fight. So I thought, I’ll take a shortcut. I walked into this back area, and as I’m walking through this little alleyway, up the steps, and out the fire exit, I bump into Denzel Washington just standing there on his own. I’m like, “Hey, Denzel, how’s it going “Have you enjoyed the night?” And he was like, “Yeah.”
“I did not think he knew who I was. And then he turned around and said, “When are you fighting next?” And I was like, f***, he knows I’m a fighter. He must know who Amir Khan is. See, that’s one of the best things I ever did fighting in America because it made me get around all the Hollywood stars and people got to know me in America, all the showbiz people and all that. Another good friend of mine now is the film star, the bald guy, Jason Statham.
“He came to the boxing gym to watch me train. And it’s funny, because at that time there was me and Manny Pacquiao training together, and he came to watch me train—not Manny.”
Financially, it sounds like you’re more than comfortable. But what about waking up every day—having a reason to get out of bed? How do you fill that gap? How do you manage that?
AK: Yeah, that’s the only thing because because boxing was such a big part of my life, now that I’ve stopped it, I need to definitely get into something else. Because I am getting a bit bored now. And when you get bored, that’s when you do silly things, or you do end up doing silly investments. So, I’m keeping busy with the investments. But, I need to keep myself busy. My role is to be in boxing or be into a sport. These other things around me, like the properties and stuff like that—I’m not really that type of guy. That’s the white-collar stuff. I’m not a white-collar guy. I’m bored. Literally, I am, because I’ve got a rental income coming in. I don’t have to work again.
“But more than that, it’s not the money, it’s just—I’m just fucking bored. Like, what do I do? There’s nothing, there’s not much to do. I see my friends. I wake up, I go see my friends. But I like to be a productive person. I like to do something and be productive. I do charity stuff but that only lasts for a little while and there’s only so many people you can look after. It’s true, you do get bored. From being so intense and busy to not busy at all is crazy.
“I can’t do [training], because I think I don’t have the patience to do that. To be a trainer. But, you know, one thing I would like to do maybe is managing fighters and promoting shows, going to big events. See, I go to a lot of them, and I like the hype that you get. Keeps you in the circle of boxing. I was at the WBC convention last week, and so many people were saying, ‘Amir, you’re such a big name.’ , ‘You have such a big name. Why don’t you start promoting fighters? Everyone would want to sign with you. Everyone would want to be part of your promotional managing fighters.’ I can’t do. I can give advice to fighters, yeah.
“But being a promoter, I think, more is something I would do. That’s something I’m looking at at the moment. Believe it or not, I have the passion for it. But then, I don’t want to invest millions of my own money into it. It’s tough. And I’m thinking, okay, wait a minute. Do I need to take that risk? No. So why should I throw money for no reason, into something that I might not work when I know if I can put it into properties, or if I can put it into a business or put it into something else. I know it’ll make me money.
“I do have..I’m not being disrespectful, but you have money on the side where you want to play, and you want to give things a try. Let’s see how that goes. I’m Ggonna give it a go. But if I have to put a little bit in. Then, I don’t mind throwing a million towards it and seeing how it goes from there and then build it. But I want to make sure. My 1 million I invest is going to keep on building. I don’t want to keep on funding it more and more. Just keep it working.”
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