Khan's 'Holy Grail' quest slammed

12:07pm Wednesday 16th July 2008

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BOXING trainer of the year Enzo Calzaghe has blasted Amir Khan for turning his back on Britain in pursuit of the American Dream.

Calzaghe, the BBC Coach of the Year in addition to a host of awards won on both sides of the Atlantic, is upset that Khan is slighting British boxing coaches in insisting on an American trainer.

Calzaghe even compared Khan with knight of the Round Table Percival, who searched for the Holy Grail.

Calzaghe, head trainer of the world famous Team Calzaghe stable in Newbridge, believes there are several British coaches who could bring out the best in Bolton's undefeated Olympic medallist.

He explained: "I feel I need to say something on behalf of all the top quality British trainers, we are always slighted in comparison to the Americans.

"It is no surprise that Amir thinks he needs to go over the Atlantic to get the best trainer, but why does he think that? Who is telling him that?

"We have got the best coaches in the world in Britain, yet the respected boxing pundits don't seem to think so.

"What annoys me most is the guys in the English media who say he needs to go to America, they are devaluing the abilities of British trainers.

"The media cartel says he should go to America, but he's not suddenly going to become a Joe Calzaghe or a Ricky Hatton if he does.

"Just because Amir has had a couple of damp squib fights doesn't mean he needs to be rescued in America, people are putting pressure on the kid and the higher the expectations of him the worse it will get.

"Amir's people say they can't find decent sparring in Britain, what an absolute joke!

"Why don't they bring him down to Newbridge? He can spar with Gavin Rees, Bradley Pryce, Nathan Cleverly, Tony Doherty, Gary Lockett, Harry Miles and Kerry Hope."

Calzaghe insists the record of the top British coaches is a match for their American counterparts.

"We've got some brilliant trainers in Britain, guys like Brian Hughes, Jimmy Tibbs and of course Billy Graham who has had amazing success with Ricky Hatton," he said.

"Our guys - like Joe and Ricky and maybe soon David Haye - have gone to America and whipped their fighters' backsides. Look at Bernard Hopkins' so called dream team' of trainers, it didn't do him any good.

"Guys like Dan Birmingham, Emanuel Stewart, Freddie Roach, their fighters lose to our fighters, yet none of the English media ever mention that do they?

"Amir Khan going to America is like Percival chasing the Holy Grail.

"It's just another knock on British boxing, it's typical."