Warren concerned over Khan career path

Frank Warren hopes 17-year-old Amir Khan does not make the same mistakes as Audley Harrison when he secures a professional contract.

Warren has hit out at Harrison, who has yet to turn his Sydney gold medal into a successful professional career.

Khan is the subject of interest from professional promoters as he waits for the Amateur Boxing Association to come up with an offer of financial support to keep him in the amateur ranks until the next Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

“Whoever heard of an unbeaten fighter being dumped by television? Harrison has done a Pop Idol in reverse,” said Warren.

The promoter confirmed he would be delighted to seal a deal with Olympic silver medallist Khan, who is now ‘open to offers’, according to his representative Asif Vali.

Warren said: “Amir can look at those mistakes and learn from that. If he is handled properly then he can do some exceptional things in boxing.

“But it’s like anything. You can’t do it all yourself. You need the right people behind you, taking you along the right way, and I believe that we have shown that we can do that.”