LONDON, July 13: Britain’s rising star Amir Khan believes he will be at his strongest when he continues his professional boxing career in London on Saturday. And the lightweight prospect, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, says he has not been distracted by the fame and fortune that have so far accompanied his pro career.

The 20-year-old Amir faces Willie Limond for the Scot’s Commonwealth lightweight title at the O2 Arena on Saturday, formerly the Millennium Dome, in his 13th professional fight.

Amir, from Bolton in northwest England, has stopped nine of his 12 opponents to date in a promising start to a professional career that remains on course for a world title bout.

The fighter believes his body is now maturing and is stronger for the bigger contests that lie ahead.

But Amir says he has stayed the same outside the ring, remaining at home with his Pakistan-born parents despite the money he is now earning as one of Britain’s most popular sports stars.

“My body has changed into a man’s body for this fight because I have trained harder for it than any other fight,” Amir said on Wednesday. “My speed and pressure stopped people before where as now I have got the added strength to do it with as well.

“I didn’t think you could develop so quick. I can see the difference in my body. It’s a big change in two years I have gone through. I can call myself a man now where as before I was a boy.

“Boxing is a tough sport which will not let you get too big headed – otherwise you will get found out,” he added. “I’ve kept my feet on the ground. You can’t be too big headed because that’s when you make mistakes.“I live at home with my family in Bolton still. I'm 20 and my parents still tell me what to do. I like it like that - I want to be like any other family.”

Limond, 28, a part-time joiner, has lost just once in a professional career that began eight years ago and that was to fellow Scot Alex Arthur, who contests the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super-featherweight interim title on July 21.

Amir’s detractors say his early bouts have been too easy and point to the fact that Limond has operated mostly as a super-featherweight.

However, Amir regards Limond as his best opponent since fighting Cuban Olympic gold medal winner Mario Kindelan, and hopes a fine display will silence his critics.—AFP