Khan's bigotry claims rejected by father

NEWCASTLE (England) (AFP) – Amir Khan’s suggestion that he may be a victim of bigotry was rejected by his father ahead of Saturday’s World Boxing Association (WBA) light-welterweight title against Dmitriy Salita.
Khan, the WBA light-welterweight champion, raised the question of racial tension in Britain after being booed by a small, but vocal, minority at the Prizefighter tournament at the ExCel Arena last week.
Khan, a Muslim, put such behaviour down to bigotry, saying on Friday: “It’s probably jealousy and sometimes skin colour does make a difference.
“I know if, maybe, I was a white English fighter, I would be a superstar in Britain.
“I never get racist remarks but it’s always out there which you can’t stop.
“You just live and learn about what people are like.
“I just choose to ignore them.”
But Amir’s father Shah refuted such assertions.
Khan senior told BBC Radio Five Live: “I don’t agree with it to tell you the truth.
“I don’t know why he made that comment but I think the attention he gets now at this stage of his career is incredible. I think he is known all round not just in England but round the world.”
He added: “I think he is almost there anyway. He has got a long way to go yet and he is still young, he is only 22.