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 http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,2147117,00.html
The community gym they are talking about is the one he opened in Bolton right? or are they talking about ANOTHER gym?
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.. This content is protected
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.
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.
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....??
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.
