Each month Westminster Journal will be adding an individual to its GEMs section. GEM stands for Great European Muslim. This individual will be recommended by Editorial process. Any submissions would be welcomed - simply send through details of the GEM you wish to recommend and give the reasons why you feel they deserve their place.
 

He went to Devonshire Road Primary School, Smithills High School and Bolton Community College in Bolton. He was a hyperactive child and a born fighter, according to his father, who encouraged him to take up boxing.

He often uses his position as a well-known British Muslim to encourage better relations between British Muslims and the wider community, particularly in his home town of Bolton. He is the older brother of boxer Haroon Khan and the younger cousin of cricketer Sajid Mahmood.

Despite declaring after the 2004 Olympics that he would pursue a Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Khan turned professional in 2005, signing with England's leading boxing promoter, Frank Warren. This was fuelled by a row with the English Amateur Boxing Association over the ticketing allocation for his family and friends at the English ABA Finals.

He has won all his professional fights, drawing good reviews in the press. Khan moved from Lightweight for a single fight at Light Welterweight for the IBF Inter-Continental Light Welterweight title against French fighter Rachid Drilzane on December 9, 2006, winning a 10 round decision. Khan experienced the first knockdown of his career; he got his foot caught in the rope and touched down with his glove, giving the referee no choice but to award his opponent the knock-down. Drilzane had never scored a knockout in his 13 fight career. Khan did not defend this belt - instead he returned to the Lightweight division for future fights.

Khan has announced his intention to be a World Champion by the time he is 21, by the end of 2007 - comments which have prompted reactions from boxing fans directed towards his promoter to increase the level of his opposition. Khan is often compared to the only other high ranking British Pakistani fighter. Ashish Khan who was the the 3 times title holder for the LBA. Khan's life and career to date have already been documented in a book titled Amir Khan: a Boy from Bolton and he has even released a DVD of his first nine fights.

On April 7, 2007, he beat Steffy Bull in a three round technical knockout in Cardiff, which was later criticized by many observers to have been fixed, but the remarks were later polished by defending promoter Frank Warren.

On October 6, 2007 Khan faced Scott Lawton in his first defense of the Commonwealth Lightweight Title. Khan fought a mature and clinical fight, boxing with single punches for the majority of the first three rounds. Khan increased the pressure at the end of the third, and secured a TKO victory in the fourth. The referee stepped in when Lawton failed to fight back.

The most significant win of Amir's career so far came when Khan celebrated his 21st birthday by successfully defending his Commonwealth Lightweight Title against Graham Earl on December 8, 2007. Earl, rated the no.1 British lightweight and a former world title challenger, was considered Khan's toughest test by some way and a tough fight was expected - especially due to some ill-feeling between the pair in the run up to the fight. However, It took Khan just 72 seconds to have the fight referee declare Earl in no fit state to continue. The speed at which Amir dispatched his man came as a big surprise to most observers, Earl looking barely in the same ring as the Commonwealth champion. Khan later claimed that he rated this victory as the best of his career. Khan beat Australian Gairy St Clair on February 2, 2008, the match was for the Commonwealth lightweight title at the ExCel Arena in London. This was his first fight to last all 12 rounds and was won via a unanimous 120-108 scoring from all three ringside judges.

He went to Pakistan to help the 2005 Kashmir earthquake victims. He is involved in the No Messin' campaign which promotes child safety around British railways. He has started a gym in his home town to help keep children away from railways.

Amir was involved in a TV programme for Channel 4, "Amir Khan's Angry Young Men", which consisted of three 50 minute long episodes. The programme centred around troubled men and aimed to use the disciplines of boxing, coupled with faith and family values, to help re-focus their lives, and help steer them away from trouble in the future. It was screened in August/September 2007.

He recently signed a new three year deal with Reebok worth an estimated £2 million.

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