Khan to Fight with the Pro’s.

Olympic silver medalist Amir Khan will fight on pro boxing cards while keeping his amateur status. One of the hottest fighters to come out of Britain, the weighteen-year-old lightweight has been bombarded with offers to turn pro but wants to stay amateur to compete for the gold in Beijing in 2008. Now he can compete in both worlds under a deal announced Thursday by promoter Frank Warren, who hopes to persuade Khan to turn

Click for larger image © Mike Cleary

pro long before the next Olympics. Warren secured a three-year deal with Britain’s Amateur Boxing Association for amateurs and pros to share the same bills. He hopes Khan will figure on the undercard of Joe Calzaghe’s next defense of the WBO super-middleweight title in March. Although they won’t be paid, amateurs will fight in team events under regular amateur rules at the same venues where pro fighters meet in twelve-round title fights. “I think it makes sense for Amir to have more time in the amateurs but I do not believe he will box in the next Olympics,” Warren said. “This historic deal gives amateur fighters the chance to build a profile before they turn professional.”