Amir Khan
When he was barely a teenager, Amir Khan wanted to start his fighting career.
There was only one hiccup: There was no amateur level in muay Thai for the native of Singapore, so he didn’t have a chance to cut his teeth against some non-professional competition and warm up to the idea of fighting.
He just had to grow up immediately.
“Seconds before the fight, I was so scared that I was regretting my decision to fight,” Khan wrote to MMAjunkie in an email. “Fortunately, I won … with a knee in the first round.”
It was a fast start to a fighting career that’s on the cusp of big things. After losing his pro MMA debut, Khan has won two straight in the first round and is set to take on Shannon Wiratchai (3-1) at ONE Championship 26 on April 24 in the Philippines.
The 20-year-old has amassed that 2-1 record while battling the effects of Tourette syndrome, the neurological disorder that causes him to, at times, lose control of his body movement. He stresses that the syndrome doesn’t have an effect on his fighting, and his record shows it. But those who have seen him fight have certainly noticed, and even opponents have as well.
What those attendees, viewers and opponents don’t know is that Khan grew up wanting to be a golfer before he turned his attention to martial arts when he was 13. Unable to pursue an amateur portion of his career, he jumped right in against pros.
He showed he could hold his own the entire way, despite the noticeable twitching that happens when he’s fighting.
“I feel it doesn’t affect me; other people choose to see as a disadvantage,” Khan wrote. “I see it as an advantage. Maybe it helps because it’ll distract my opponent and he can’t read my eyes. That’s an advantage.”
Changing goals
Khan grew up as the son of a mechanical engineer and a nursing manager, successful people who helped instill a drive for success in him.
“The main things I learned from my parents are hard work, dedication, integrity and always follow my dad’s words: ‘Chase your dreams and never give up until you achieve your goal,’” Khan wrote.
Khan’s father has since left his mechanical engineering job and is now a golf instructor, and he passed his love for that sport onto his son. When Khan was growing up, he dreamed of a career on the golf course, not in the cage.
When he was 13, he began muay Thai training in his home country of Singapore, but he also often traveled to Thailand while on breaks from school to get a variety of instruction. He was a professional early, and he continued to expand his training, even traveling to the U.S., to Shreveport, La.
After several years, he also started MMA training and began a transition.
“MMA chose me,” he wrote.
But even when he started MMA, as a 16-year-old, Khan didn’t know it would soon be his focus. And his future.
Getting attention
Two years ago, already with experience in professional fighting and the rigors of multiple kinds of training, Khan decided to turn his full attention to MMA.
He wanted to get his pro career started early, and he wanted to be good. He continued to travel to the U.S. for training and for amateur fights, climbing more slowly up the MMA ladder than he had in muay Thai.
Then he met his first speed bump. When Khan made his pro debut, in February 2014, he suffered a loss in his first fight. Fighting at Global Fighting Alliance 25, he was beaten by submission at the 1:42 mark of first round.
After that loss, his career shifted. He moved his training to Evolve MMA, one of Asia’s top brands in MMA training. Since then, he has been especially impressive.
This past September, Khan made his ONE Championship debut and knocked out opponent Jian Kai Chee just two-and-a-half minutes into the fight. Two months later, he fought in his home country as an MMA professional for the first time and again scored a first-round knockout, cementing his improvement since his move to Evolve MMA.
“Of course (a main career highlight was) my last fight was in front of my hometown, in Singapore, and I hope to fight in Singapore again,” Khan wrote. “Hearing the roar of 12,000 people cheer you is absolutely surreal.”
There might be more cheering for him soon. Even though Khan doesn’t view his Tourette syndrome as a hindrance, others have been inspired by the way he fights when others might retreat because of the disorder.
Having training in multiple countries and fought professionally from an early age, Khan is now more experienced in MMA and hoping to continue impressing when he gets his next chance on April 24.
“I feel that I’ve been able to unleash my true potential,” Khan wrote, “and it shows in my fights.”
Catching up
Last week, Ricardo Ramos told us about becoming a professional MMA fighter at just 16 and taking his career to the next level when he moved into the gym where he trains. He continues a stellar start to his career this past weekend when he knocked out Justin Rader just 32 seconds into their fight at Legacy FC 41. Ramos is now 7-0, with five victories in the first round.
In January 2014, Alexander Yakovlev told us about forging his own life’s path after a difficult childhood, focusing on his training and his education. He rebounded from consecutive losses last weekend when he topped Gray Maynard by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 63s to improve to 22-6.
In May 2011, Liz Carmouche told us about her five-year Marine career and her introduction to MMA there, which later led to MMA coaches immediately recognizing her potential. The UFC title challenger improved to 10-5 this past weekend when she beat Lauren Murphy by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 63.
In December 2010, Dustin Poirier told us about starting his training as a 17-year-old with a singular focus on taking and winning fights. It was a good decision for him, and his record improved to 17-4 this past weekend when he knocked out Carlos Ferreira in the first round at UFC Fight Night 63.
For more on ONE Championship 26, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
Award-winning newspaper reporter Kyle Nagel pens “Fight Path” each week. The column focuses on the circumstances that led fighters to a profession in MMA. Know a fighter with an interesting story? Email us at news [at] mmajunkie [dot] com.
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