Amir Khan says Curries & Excuses hold Asian Athletes Back

Amir Khan has controversially claimed that an “appalling diet” and the allowing of excuses are to blame for Asian athletes not fulfilling their potential.

The boxer announced his retirement from the sport having lost to Kell Brook in his final fight.

He has now said “curries” and “an appalling diet” are to blame for Asian fighters not making an impact in boxing.

Khan said: “Look, us Asians are not really meant to be fighters.

“We’re not supposed to be good sportsmen and women.

“Our diet is appalling. It’s curries. It’s not the right diet to be a champion.

“If you put us against a lot of English fighters their diet is a lot better. They’re stronger than us.

“But obviously I changed my way of living. Luckily, I started very young.

“But not many Asians become sportsmen and women because we don’t have the diet. We don’t have the dedication.

“But if we see someone doing it, like if they’ve seen me do it, maybe that can inspire and motivate them.

“If Amir Khan has done it, being Asian and living on chapatis all his life and eating curries, we can do it. But you still have to take it easy on those things.”

He stated that many talented Asian boxers cite him as their inspiration but added that many Asian athletes use their background as an “excuse” for not fulfilling their potential.

Amir Khan continued: “They all want to try now.

“It’s an amazing platform for them to see what I’ve done and that it’s possible for them to do the same and achieve what I’ve achieved.

“People used to say: ‘We are Muslim, we are Asian, we can’t make it in boxing. We’re not going to be picked’.

“It’s an excuse that all Asians use – that we’re never going to be picked.

“Look at football, for example. There are no Asian footballers but guess what they all say? ‘We won’t get picked because we’re Asian’.

“I think that’s a f***ing load of b*******, really. It’s a load of b*******.

“Asians, when we can’t to a certain extent, give up. We don’t have it in us.”

After his retirement from boxing, Amir Khan teased a return to the jungle for a new All-Stars series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

He had said: “I’ve been asked to do a very, very big show. I can’t give the name to you.

“But I’ll give you a clue; I’ve been on it before!

“I’m not saying nothing. I’ve been asked to go there.

“Look, I think it’ll be brilliant. I think people get to see another side of me and it would be nice to do something like that. Now that I’ve got time I can do it.”