VIDEO: Renowned boxer Amir Khan set to make Dubai his home

Two-time world champion Amir Khan, one of the top stars of British boxing, is set to follow in the footsteps of some of the sporting world’s biggest names, who call Dubai their home.

Khan, 33, is keen to complete the move to Dubai with his wife Faryal, two daughters – Lamaisah and Alayna – and four-month son Mohammed in the next couple of months, so that his elder daughter can start her new school year here.

The boxer, whose grandfather came to the United Kingdom from Pakistan, also has plans to open a boxing academy here and is keen to organise big boxing fights in Dubai. And, he is also still hoping to stage the long-touted bout with good friend and Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao here.

Khan, who is also a reality TV star, promoter and a philanthropist, revealed his plans during his visit to Dubai Sports Council (DSC) on Tuesday, where he met Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, and Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, to discuss his future projects.

“First of all, I would like to thank Saeed Hareb for having us here today,” said Khan, who won a silver medal in the lightweight division at the 2004 Olympics to become, at the age of 17, Britain’s youngest boxing Olympic medallist.

He is also one of the youngest ever British professional world champions, winning the WBA title at the age of 22.

“It is amazing for us to be here, meet His Excellency and see Dubai Sports Council. We have just seen all the great athletes that have come into this building. Obviously with me being one of them now as well, I am really happy. It’s great to be here and to see the vision that Dubai has in sport for the future.”

One of the most recognisable and talented fighters of his generation, Khan has been a regular visitor to Dubai over the past 15 years. Now, impressed with the city’s hospitality and how safe it is for everyone, he is hunting for a property where he can settle with his family.

“I will always call Dubai my second home,” he said. “It’s lovely, I love the place. I think the people in Dubai are amazing. I have made some great friends here, and have a lot of friends here. It is amazing how you are treated here. I have a lot of love and a lot of respect, and yeah, I just love it here.

“So, for sure it is nice to come here more often and have it as my second home. Obviously I am British, but I will be living in Dubai also. I just want to come out here and keep myself busy, and doing some work in the future with Dubai Sports Council would be amazing.”

Elaborating on his academy plans, Khan added: “I would love to open an academy here. See, one thing that boxing teaches you is discipline and that’s what I want to teach people.

“I want to teach them discipline and I think having an academy here is definitely going to make a big difference for the people, for the youth, and also get them into boxing and also, maybe, one day we can have boxing events here.

“I think it starts from the grassroots level where if we have boxing academies here first, then people will get more involved in boxing and then they will host boxing events.”

Surprised that Dubai, one of the top sporting destinations of the world, has still not staged a top boxing bout, Khan is also hoping he can break that anomaly by staging his swansong here. And he would love to fight Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in boxing history, in that dream farewell bout.