Can Amir Khan and close friend Andy Murray make it a double British sporting success this summer ? Certainly, Khan, now training with Freddie Roach in Los Angeles, had an impact on Murray when the tennis world No 3 came to spar and train with him in his Salford days.
Who knows the impact that may have had on Murray. I was there that day, and Murray hit the pads with Oliver Harrison with fearsome power, and thrived in the gym.
Khan, 22, will be cheering Murray on for Grand Slam glory at Wimbledon over the next fortnight – and is then vowing to match his feat by claiming his first world title on July 18.
The Bolton boxer who has moved up to light-welterweight has a fight on his hands against Ukrainian WBA World Light-Welterweight champion Andreas Kotelnik – who has never been stopped in 34 fights.
Khan reckons Murray, who recently became Queens champion and is seeded two for Wimbledon, can become the first Brit to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry.
Khan said: “It would tremendous for British sport this summer if I can win the world title and for Andy to do the business at Wimbledon.
“He’s been putting in some great performances recently and he was awesome when he got to the final of the US Open, so I think this could be the year for him.
“Obviously Roger Federer is his main rival but Andy’s got the toughness in him to triumph – and that’s speaking from personal experience.
“I’ve sparred a few rounds with him and he’s a definitely got plenty of fight in him.”
Khan will tackle Kotelnik at the M.E.N Arena next month after their fight was delayed by three weeks because of an injury the champion picked up in sparring. “It’s what I’ve dreamed of since I first put on a pair gloves,” he said. “To be in the Olympic final in Athens was unbelievable but this is going to be bigger.”
The official betting partner of Amir Khan’s world title fight Betfred.com are offering an enhanced double of 7/1, for Andy Murray to win Wimbledon and Amir Khan to conquer the world.
