Boxer Amir Khan may be forced by jealous fans, fighters to leave Britain

London, Oct 25 (ANI): WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, who is being trained in Los Angeles for a year and could make the move permanent, if he is driven out of Britain by rival fans and fighters jealous of his success in boxing ring.

Khan still lives with parents Shah and Falak in Bolton. But he admitted: "I'd like to live in LA eventually because it's getting tough to live in Britain. People appreciate what you achieve in America whereas you don't see that in Britain."I see a lot of bitterness and jealousy. I love the British public and it would be very hard to leave them, but my career comes first. Whatever move I need to make I will do," the News of the World quoted Khan, as saying.

Khan won his world title by out pointing Ukrainian Andreas Kotelnik in July and spends two months before every fight at his Hollywood training camp.

"In America I've not come across any hate. People have come to me and said, 'We want to look after you, you're a world champion'. And I think to myself, Do these guys want something from me? Why are they so nice?

"Clothing designer Christian Audigier wanted to see me, I met him and he kitted me out with clobber. I'm not going to complain. That's the difference in LA," Khan said.

Khan, 22, is desperate to forge a fight career in the United States and plans to box there after making his first world title defence against New Yorker Dmitriy Salita in Newcastle on December 5.

Despite growing popularity, Khan is still booed by a small minority of fans and has been on the receiving end of verbal barbs from WBC super-middleweight champion Carl Froch and British lightweight title-holder John Murray.

Khan was stunned by the reception he got when he returned to Roach's last month for the first time since his faultless points win over Kotelnik.

He was greeted by a wall with pictures of his triumphs with the Union Jack and Pakistan flags hanging proudly, the News of the World reports. (ANI)