BELFAST, May 18: Rising boxing star Amir Khan has vowed to learn from the mistakes of fellow British talents Naseem Hamed and Scott Harrison as he continues to build the foundations to his fledgling professional career.

The Athens Olympic silver medallist promised not to tread the troubled paths of Hamed, who last week was sent to prison for 15 months, and Harrison who checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic after suffering from alcoholism and depression.

Hamed was a former featherweight world champion, the division in which Harrison currently holds the WBO belt, but his fall from grace was confirmed with a dangerous driving conviction last week.

And Harrison, who has had several scrapes with the law and has previously been banned from every pub in a district of Glasgow, checked into the Priory Clinic after his latest misdemeanour saw him arrested on Sunday night in a night club, less than a week before he was due to defend his title this coming weekend - a bout that has now been cancelled.

Harrison was due to headline the bill in Belfast on Saturday when Amirn will fight Hungarian Laszlo Komjathi in his seventh professional bout.

The 19-year-old claims he has learned an important lesson from Hamed and Harrison's misfortunes. “I have spoken to Nas and Scott and they are nice guys. It is a shame it has to happen and it is a shame Scott has pulled out of the fight,” said Amir. “It has helped me to not make those mistakes in the future. We have to be careful because the limelight is always on us when we are boxing and not boxing. But we get treated the same; we are no different from anyone else. We can't get away from it.

I will never let that happen to me. It has opened my eyes that these things can happen. Things like that can make you a better boxer.”Amir's return to the ring comes after a two-month delay as he was scheduled to face Argentinian Diego Alejandro Madole at the Braehead Arena in March only for the fight to be cancelled when an injured Danny Williams was forced to pull out of his heavyweight bout.

Ironically, Williams will be the man to step in to cover for Harrison's absence at the Kings Hall on Saturday, although his opponent has yet to be named.

I feel fit and haven't felt this fit for a long time. I have got a lot stronger,” said Amir.

“It is a learning curve for me and I think this is the first proper test I have had. He will give me a tough fight - his record says it all. For me to fight anyone like that must mean I am going in the right way.”—AFP