Amir Khan insists he still has more to offer a sport he is still in love with.
The two-time world champion will be back in the ring for the first time in almost two years on April 21, when he takes on Canadian Phil Lo Greco.
Khan has signed a three-fight deal with Matchroom Boxing and although his well-documented events outside the ring have had plenty of people questioning his decision, he says he has not lost his desire.
“If I stop now I’ve still had a great career,” Khan told Sky Sports News.
“I’ve won world titles, the WBA ‘Super’, the WBA and the IBF, but I want to do it because I love the sport.
“I know there is more left in me. I can call it a day and do something else but I love the sport so much, and I know I can do a little bit more.”
Khan is in California alongside trainer Virgil Hunter, preparing to box on British soil for the first time since his win over Julio Diaz in Sheffield in 2013.
The 31-year-old is staying at welterweight – at least for now – and knows all eyes will be on him following his devastating middleweight KO loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez last time out.
Fans’ favourite Ricky Hatton was one of the biggest names in British boxing to question the decision to return, but Khan is happy to prove him wrong.
“Ricky is coming from there because a lot has happened in my life in the last couple of years, so he maybe thought I should just call it a day,” Khan said.
“But I’ve surpassed that now so it’s now time to put all that behind me and move forward.
“I always said from day one, I am going to be the one that walks away from boxing. I am not going to let boxing retire me, I will retire from boxing.
“I might wake up one morning and think ‘you know what, I don’t want to do this anymore’, but at the moment I am waking up every morning wanting to be a champion again.”
