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Amir Khan Ansari (born 5 November 1994) is a Singaporean mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who is signed to the Singapore-based MMA organisation, ONE Championship (ONE FC). He competes in the lightweight division.<ref>“[https://www.onefc.com/athletes/amir-khan/ Amir Khan]”. ''ONE Championship.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> As of October 2020, Amir Khan shares the record of having the most knockouts in ONE FC.<ref name=":0">Singapore Sports Hub. "[https://www.heretoplay.com.sg/trending/8-knockout-facts-about-amir-khan/?fbclid=IwAR3yRovqOo4ioMPZbaFEs6aEtzY9PWNON44dOQbRezqsVsJCNNshtJR8sn0 8 KNOCKOUT FACTS ABOUT AMIR KHAN]". ''Heretoplay.sg''. November 3, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref>
Amir Khan Ansari (born 5 November 1994) is a Singaporean mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who is signed to the Singapore-based MMA organisation, ONE Championship (ONE FC). He competes in the lightweight division.<ref>“[https://www.onefc.com/athletes/amir-khan/ Amir Khan]”. ''ONE Championship.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> As of October 2020, Amir Khan Ansari holds the record of having the most knockouts in ONE FC.


== Background ==
==Background==


=== Early life & family ===
===Early life & family===
Amir Khan Ansari was born on 5 November 1994. He grew up with Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder where the afflicted individual experiences tics ranging from unintentionally making repetitive movements to unwanted sounds.<ref name=":1">Cai, Candice. “[https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/mma-fighter-amir-khan-wanted-run-away-singapore-and-never-come-back MMA fighter Amir Khan wanted to run away from Singapore and never come back]”. ''AsiaOne.'' September 25, 2020. Accessed on 4 December 2020.</ref><ref>“[https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tourette-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20350465#:~:text=Overview,unusual%20sounds%20or%20offensive%20words. Tourette syndrome]”. ''Mayo Clinic.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> When his condition peaked in secondary school, he started street fighting to fit in. In a 2020 interview, he was quoted to have said:<blockquote>“I was fighting under HDB blocks because I thought that if I did what the other boys did, they’d accept me. When [my dad] found out I was fighting at void decks, he said: “If you’re really interested in fighting, why don’t you learn properly?”. That’s when he signed me up for Muay Thai. Ever since then, I’d go to the gym every day after school. I was there 24/7. It’s like I lived there.”<ref name=":2">Arman Shah. “[http://www.everydaypeople.sg/people/athletes/mma-fighter-amir-khan-overcoming-tourette-bullying-and-losses-to-become-a-champion-in-life/ MMA Fighter Amir Khan: Overcoming Tourette, Bullying and Losses to Become a Champion in Life]”. ''The Everyday People of Singapore.'' February 25, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>
Amir Khan Ansari was born on 5 November 1994. He grew up with Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder where the afflicted individual experiences tics ranging from unintentionally making repetitive movements to unwanted sounds.<ref name=":1">Cai, Candice. “[https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/mma-fighter-amir-khan-wanted-run-away-singapore-and-never-come-back MMA fighter Amir Khan wanted to run away from Singapore and never come back]”. ''AsiaOne.'' September 25, 2020. Accessed on 4 December 2020.</ref><ref>“[https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tourette-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20350465#:~:text=Overview,unusual%20sounds%20or%20offensive%20words. Tourette syndrome]”. ''Mayo Clinic.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> When his condition peaked in secondary school, he started street fighting to fit in. In a 2020 interview, he was quoted to have said:<blockquote>“I was fighting under HDB blocks because I thought that if I did what the other boys did, they’d accept me. When [my dad] found out I was fighting at void decks, he said: “If you’re really interested in fighting, why don’t you learn properly?”. That’s when he signed me up for Muay Thai. Ever since then, I’d go to the gym every day after school. I was there 24/7. It’s like I lived there.”<ref name=":2">Arman Shah. “[http://www.everydaypeople.sg/people/athletes/mma-fighter-amir-khan-overcoming-tourette-bullying-and-losses-to-become-a-champion-in-life/ MMA Fighter Amir Khan: Overcoming Tourette, Bullying and Losses to Become a Champion in Life]”. ''The Everyday People of Singapore.'' February 25, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Amir Khan MMA October 2020.jpg|thumb|''Amir Khan (left) after winning his fight in October 2020.'']]
[[File:Amir Khan MMA October 2020.jpg|thumb|''Amir Khan (left) after winning his fight in October 2020.'']]
In July 2020, his father was diagnosed with stage four brain lymphoma.<ref>Wolcott, John. “[https://www.onefc.com/features/amir-khan-fighting-for-his-dad-after-devastating-brain-cancer-diagnosis/ Amir Khan Fighting For His Dad After Devastating Brain Cancer Diagnosis]”. ''ONE Championship.'' September 29, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> Amir Khan dedicated his October win to his father and said the following in the post-fight interview:<blockquote>“All I wanted to do was to get back in the knockout column and make my dad proud, and I’m glad that’s what I did. He’s barely walking right now but he’s here with me the whole fight week, he’s so courageous, he’s so strong. I wish I could just be half the man he is.”<ref>ONE Championship. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJquAhlF6wk Amir Khan vs. Rahul Raju | ONE Championship Full Fight]”. ''YouTube.'' October 10, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>
In July 2020, his father was diagnosed with stage four brain lymphoma.<ref>Wolcott, John. “[https://www.onefc.com/features/amir-khan-fighting-for-his-dad-after-devastating-brain-cancer-diagnosis/ Amir Khan Fighting For His Dad After Devastating Brain Cancer Diagnosis]”. ''ONE Championship.'' September 29, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> Amir Khan dedicated his October win to his father and said the following in the post-fight interview:<blockquote>“All I wanted to do was to get back in the knockout column and make my dad proud, and I’m glad that’s what I did. He’s barely walking right now but he’s here with me the whole fight week, he’s so courageous, he’s so strong. I wish I could just be half the man he is.”<ref>ONE Championship. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJquAhlF6wk Amir Khan vs. Rahul Raju | ONE Championship Full Fight]”. ''YouTube.'' October 10, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>


=== Education ===
===Education===
Amir Khan dropped out of secondary school in secondary five to move to the United States to pursue MMA.<ref name=":1" /> He attained a high school diploma while living and training in Shreveport, Louisiana.<ref>Loy, Daniel. “[https://straatosphere.com/10-things-didnt-know-mma-fighter-amir-khan/ 10 Things You Didn’t Know About MMA Fighter Amir Khan]”. ''Straatosphere.'' October 30, 2014. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> In April 2020, it was announced that Amir Khan had been offered a scholarship by PSB Academy to obtain a degree in Sports and Exercise Science.<ref>“[https://sg.news.yahoo.com/amir-khan-goes-back-school-043322586.html Amir Khan Goes Back To School]”. ''ONE Championship.'' May 11, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020. Retrieved from Yahoo! News.</ref><ref>PSB Academy. "[https://www.facebook.com/psbacademy/photos/a.298632408391/10158402474728392/?type=3&theater PSB Academy is excited to welcome Amir Khan Ansari as our new student ambassador]". ''Facebook''. April 6, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref>
Amir Khan dropped out of secondary school in secondary five to move to the United States to pursue MMA.<ref name=":1" /> He attained a high school diploma while living and training in Shreveport, Louisiana.<ref>Loy, Daniel. “[https://straatosphere.com/10-things-didnt-know-mma-fighter-amir-khan/ 10 Things You Didn’t Know About MMA Fighter Amir Khan]”. ''Straatosphere.'' October 30, 2014. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> In April 2020, it was announced that Amir Khan had been offered a scholarship by PSB Academy to obtain a degree in Sports and Exercise Science.<ref>“[https://sg.news.yahoo.com/amir-khan-goes-back-school-043322586.html Amir Khan Goes Back To School]”. ''ONE Championship.'' May 11, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020. Retrieved from Yahoo! News.</ref><ref>PSB Academy. "[https://www.facebook.com/psbacademy/photos/a.298632408391/10158402474728392/?type=3&theater PSB Academy is excited to welcome Amir Khan Ansari as our new student ambassador]". ''Facebook''. April 6, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref>


=== Personal life ===
===Personal life===
Amir Khan is married to Cristina Leontyeva.<ref>ONE Championship. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0GSFcHGqb4 ONE Feature | Amir Khan Prepares For Life’s Greatest Gift]". ''YouTube''. February 12, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref> The couple live together in Singapore and had their first child in March 2019.<ref>Lozada, Volt. “[https://www.tnp.sg/sports/others/amir-khans-most-anticipated-moment-outside-cage-has-arrived-hes-dad Amir Khan’s most anticipated moment outside the cage has arrived – he's a dad]”. ''The New Paper.'' March 11, 2019. Accessed on 4 December 2020.</ref>
Amir Khan is married to Cristina Leontyeva.<ref>ONE Championship. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0GSFcHGqb4 ONE Feature | Amir Khan Prepares For Life’s Greatest Gift]". ''YouTube''. February 12, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref> The couple live together in Singapore and had their first child in March 2019.<ref>Lozada, Volt. “[https://www.tnp.sg/sports/others/amir-khans-most-anticipated-moment-outside-cage-has-arrived-hes-dad Amir Khan’s most anticipated moment outside the cage has arrived – he's a dad]”. ''The New Paper.'' March 11, 2019. Accessed on 4 December 2020.</ref>


== MMA career ==
==MMA career==
From December 2012 to January 2014, Amir Khan competed as an amateur fighter for organisations such as the Louisiana-based Ascend Combat. He amassed a total of four wins in four fights.<ref name=":3">“[https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Amir-Khan-124985 Amir Khan]”. ''Sherdog.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref><ref>“[https://www.sherdog.com/events/GFA-25-Global-Fighting-Alliance-25-40687 GFA 25: Global Fighting Alliance 25]”. ''Sherdog.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> In 2014, he returned to Singapore permanently. Amir Khan served his National Service as a clerk for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) while working as a professional MMA fighter.<ref>Amir Khan. "[https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/from-clerk-to-mma-world-title-contender-singapore-s-amir-khan-10736240 From clerk to MMA world title contender: Singapore’s Amir Khan fights to reach the top of his sport]". ''Channel News Asia''. October 6, 2018. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref>
From December 2012 to January 2014, Amir Khan competed as an amateur fighter for organisations such as the Louisiana-based Ascend Combat. He amassed a total of four wins in four fights.<ref name=":3">“[https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Amir-Khan-124985 Amir Khan]”. ''Sherdog.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref><ref>“[https://www.sherdog.com/events/GFA-25-Global-Fighting-Alliance-25-40687 GFA 25: Global Fighting Alliance 25]”. ''Sherdog.'' n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> In 2014, he returned to Singapore permanently. Amir Khan served his National Service as a clerk for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) while working as a professional MMA fighter.<ref>Amir Khan. "[https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/from-clerk-to-mma-world-title-contender-singapore-s-amir-khan-10736240 From clerk to MMA world title contender: Singapore’s Amir Khan fights to reach the top of his sport]". ''Channel News Asia''. October 6, 2018. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref>


=== ONE Championship (2014 - current) ===
===ONE Championship (2014 - current)===
[[File:Amir Khan Ansari ONE FC.jpg|thumb|''Amir Khan has fought on the ONE Championship stage since debuting in 2014. Photo credit to Kevin Lim/ [https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/gameoftwohalves-podcast-can-amir-khan-be-king-of-the-mma-jungle ST PHOTO].'']]
[[File:Amir Khan Ansari ONE FC.jpg|thumb|''Amir Khan has fought on the ONE Championship stage since debuting in 2014. Photo credit to Kevin Lim/ [https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/gameoftwohalves-podcast-can-amir-khan-be-king-of-the-mma-jungle ST PHOTO].'']]
Amir Khan signed with One FC in September 2014.<ref>Narendaren Karnageran. "[https://www.tnp.sg/sports/others/dad-fight-you-amir-khan Dad, this fight is for you: Amir Khan]". ''The New Paper.'' October 7, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref> During his professional debut that year, he knocked out his opponent in the first round. Speaking to ''Yahoo! News'' in a post-fight interview, he was quoted to have said:<blockquote>“My plan was to keep consistent pressure and mix up my strikes and takedowns to keep him guessing. I felt very excited about the fight as it is my first time fighting for ONE FC. I maintained my composure and executed my game plan to perfection in order to take the victory.”<ref>Tay, Cheryl. “[https://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-teen-amir-khan-knocks-out-malaysian-veteran-in-professional-mma-debut-080048566-mma.html Singapore teen Amir Khan knocks out Malaysian veteran in professional MMA debut]”. ''Yahoo! News.'' September 13, 2014. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>Between 2014 and 2018, Amir Khan amassed ten wins over twelve fights; with nine of those wins via referee stoppage.<ref name=":3" /> After establishing himself as a top contender with wins over Lee Sung Jong of South Korea and Honorio Banario of the Philippines, Amir Khan was given the opportunity to face the former ONE FC lightweight world champion, Eduard Folayang in November 2018 for the vacant championship belt.<ref>"[https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/eduard-folayang-gets-crack-amir-khan-vacant-one-crown/129296 Eduard Folayang gets crack at Amir Khan for vacant ONE crown]”. ''Tiebreaker Times.'' October 1, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> Amir Khan lost the fight via unanimous decision and subsequently recorded another two losses in 2019; including his first loss by knockout (KO) to the Turkish MMA fighter, Saygid Arslanaliev.<ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. “[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/mma-no-dream-one-championship-title-for-amir-khan MMA: No dream One Championship title for Amir Khan as he loses via unanimous decision to Filipino fighter]”. ''The Straits Times.'' November 24, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref><ref>ONE Championship. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd5HXvMKMZg Amir Khan vs. "Dagi" Arslanaliev | ONE Full Fight | May 2019]”. ''YouTube.'' December 20, 2019. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> Speaking to ''The Everyday People of Singapore'', he elaborated on his state of mind during that period:<blockquote>“I lost a world title fight at the end of 2018 and lost two more fights in the earlier half of 2019. Getting knocked out for the first time was definitely the most heartbreaking experience. But it was my mistake for rushing from one fight to the next. I didn’t sit down and reflect on what I needed to fix on.”<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>Amir Khan returned to professional fighting in November 2019, besting Ev Ting of Malaysia by split decision and losing to Eto Kimihiro of Japan by submission in February 2020.<ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/mma-amir-khan-ends-losing-run-with-win-over-malaysian-rival-at-one-championship-event-in MMA: Amir Khan ends losing run with win over Malaysian rival at One Championship event in Singapore]". ''The Straits Times''. November 23, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref><ref>ONE Championship. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtaY4k-zhOU Amir Khan vs. Kimihiro Eto | ONE Full Fight | February 2020]”. ''YouTube.'' March 2, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref><ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/mma-one-championships-amir-khan-a-different-fighter-after-staying-75hard-during-circuit MMA: One Championship's Amir Khan a 'different fighter' after staying #75hard during circuit breaker]". ''The Straits Times''. June 29, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref> In October that year, Amir Khan recorded the most number of knockouts held by any fighter in ONE FC’s history with nine KOs.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/combat-sports/amir-wins-as-mma-is-back Amir wins as MMA is back]". ''The Straits Times''. October 10, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref>  
Amir Khan signed with One FC in September 2014.<ref>Narendaren Karnageran. "[https://www.tnp.sg/sports/others/dad-fight-you-amir-khan Dad, this fight is for you: Amir Khan]". ''The New Paper.'' October 7, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref> During his professional debut that year, he knocked out his opponent in the first round. Speaking to ''Yahoo! News'' in a post-fight interview, he was quoted to have said:<blockquote>“My plan was to keep consistent pressure and mix up my strikes and takedowns to keep him guessing. I felt very excited about the fight as it is my first time fighting for ONE FC. I maintained my composure and executed my game plan to perfection in order to take the victory.”<ref>Tay, Cheryl. “[https://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-teen-amir-khan-knocks-out-malaysian-veteran-in-professional-mma-debut-080048566-mma.html Singapore teen Amir Khan knocks out Malaysian veteran in professional MMA debut]”. ''Yahoo! News.'' September 13, 2014. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref></blockquote>Between 2014 and 2018, Amir Khan amassed ten wins over twelve fights; with nine of those wins via referee stoppage.<ref name=":3" /> After establishing himself as a top contender with wins over Lee Sung Jong of South Korea and Honorio Banario of the Philippines, Amir Khan was given the opportunity to face the former ONE FC lightweight world champion, Eduard Folayang in November 2018 for the vacant championship belt.<ref>"[https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/eduard-folayang-gets-crack-amir-khan-vacant-one-crown/129296 Eduard Folayang gets crack at Amir Khan for vacant ONE crown]”. ''Tiebreaker Times.'' October 1, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> Amir Khan lost the fight via unanimous decision and subsequently recorded another two losses in 2019; including his first loss by knockout (KO) to the Turkish MMA fighter, Saygid Arslanaliev.<ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. “[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/mma-no-dream-one-championship-title-for-amir-khan MMA: No dream One Championship title for Amir Khan as he loses via unanimous decision to Filipino fighter]”. ''The Straits Times.'' November 24, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref><ref>ONE Championship. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd5HXvMKMZg Amir Khan vs. "Dagi" Arslanaliev | ONE Full Fight | May 2019]”. ''YouTube.'' December 20, 2019. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref> Speaking to ''The Everyday People of Singapore'', he elaborated on his state of mind during that period:<blockquote>“I lost a world title fight at the end of 2018 and lost two more fights in the earlier half of 2019. Getting knocked out for the first time was definitely the most heartbreaking experience. But it was my mistake for rushing from one fight to the next. I didn’t sit down and reflect on what I needed to fix on.”<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>Amir Khan returned to professional fighting in November 2019, besting Ev Ting of Malaysia by split decision and losing to Eto Kimihiro of Japan by submission in February 2020.<ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/mma-amir-khan-ends-losing-run-with-win-over-malaysian-rival-at-one-championship-event-in MMA: Amir Khan ends losing run with win over Malaysian rival at One Championship event in Singapore]". ''The Straits Times''. November 23, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref><ref>ONE Championship. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtaY4k-zhOU Amir Khan vs. Kimihiro Eto | ONE Full Fight | February 2020]”. ''YouTube.'' March 2, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.</ref><ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/mma-one-championships-amir-khan-a-different-fighter-after-staying-75hard-during-circuit MMA: One Championship's Amir Khan a 'different fighter' after staying #75hard during circuit breaker]". ''The Straits Times''. June 29, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref> In October that year, Amir Khan recorded the most number of knockouts held by any fighter in ONE FC’s history with nine KOs.<ref>Sazali Abdul Aziz. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/combat-sports/amir-wins-as-mma-is-back Amir wins as MMA is back]". ''The Straits Times''. October 10, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.</ref>  


== Professional MMA record ==
==Professional MMA record==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Result
!Result
Line 57: Line 57:
|Kimihiro Eto
|Kimihiro Eto
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|ONE: King of The Jungle  
|ONE: King of The Jungle
|1
|1
|1:39
|1:39
Line 135: Line 135:
|Adrian Pang
|Adrian Pang
|Decision (unanimous)
|Decision (unanimous)
|ONE: Immortal Pursuit  
|ONE: Immortal Pursuit
| rowspan="3" |2017
| rowspan="3" |2017
|3
|3
Line 242: Line 242:
|}
|}


== References/ Citations ==
==References/ Citations==
[[Category:People of Interest]]
[[Category:People of Interest]]
<references />

Revision as of 17:41, 15 December 2020

Amir Khan Ansari
Amir Khan Ansari MMA.jpg
Born5 November 1994
Years active2014 - present
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight70.3 kg (155 lb)

Amir Khan Ansari (born 5 November 1994) is a Singaporean mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who is signed to the Singapore-based MMA organisation, ONE Championship (ONE FC). He competes in the lightweight division.[1] As of October 2020, Amir Khan Ansari holds the record of having the most knockouts in ONE FC.

Background

Early life & family

Amir Khan Ansari was born on 5 November 1994. He grew up with Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder where the afflicted individual experiences tics ranging from unintentionally making repetitive movements to unwanted sounds.[2][3] When his condition peaked in secondary school, he started street fighting to fit in. In a 2020 interview, he was quoted to have said:

“I was fighting under HDB blocks because I thought that if I did what the other boys did, they’d accept me. When [my dad] found out I was fighting at void decks, he said: “If you’re really interested in fighting, why don’t you learn properly?”. That’s when he signed me up for Muay Thai. Ever since then, I’d go to the gym every day after school. I was there 24/7. It’s like I lived there.”[4]

Amir Khan (left) after winning his fight in October 2020.

In July 2020, his father was diagnosed with stage four brain lymphoma.[5] Amir Khan dedicated his October win to his father and said the following in the post-fight interview:

“All I wanted to do was to get back in the knockout column and make my dad proud, and I’m glad that’s what I did. He’s barely walking right now but he’s here with me the whole fight week, he’s so courageous, he’s so strong. I wish I could just be half the man he is.”[6]

Education

Amir Khan dropped out of secondary school in secondary five to move to the United States to pursue MMA.[2] He attained a high school diploma while living and training in Shreveport, Louisiana.[7] In April 2020, it was announced that Amir Khan had been offered a scholarship by PSB Academy to obtain a degree in Sports and Exercise Science.[8][9]

Personal life

Amir Khan is married to Cristina Leontyeva.[10] The couple live together in Singapore and had their first child in March 2019.[11]

MMA career

From December 2012 to January 2014, Amir Khan competed as an amateur fighter for organisations such as the Louisiana-based Ascend Combat. He amassed a total of four wins in four fights.[12][13] In 2014, he returned to Singapore permanently. Amir Khan served his National Service as a clerk for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) while working as a professional MMA fighter.[14]

ONE Championship (2014 - current)

Amir Khan has fought on the ONE Championship stage since debuting in 2014. Photo credit to Kevin Lim/ ST PHOTO.

Amir Khan signed with One FC in September 2014.[15] During his professional debut that year, he knocked out his opponent in the first round. Speaking to Yahoo! News in a post-fight interview, he was quoted to have said:

“My plan was to keep consistent pressure and mix up my strikes and takedowns to keep him guessing. I felt very excited about the fight as it is my first time fighting for ONE FC. I maintained my composure and executed my game plan to perfection in order to take the victory.”[16]

Between 2014 and 2018, Amir Khan amassed ten wins over twelve fights; with nine of those wins via referee stoppage.[12] After establishing himself as a top contender with wins over Lee Sung Jong of South Korea and Honorio Banario of the Philippines, Amir Khan was given the opportunity to face the former ONE FC lightweight world champion, Eduard Folayang in November 2018 for the vacant championship belt.[17] Amir Khan lost the fight via unanimous decision and subsequently recorded another two losses in 2019; including his first loss by knockout (KO) to the Turkish MMA fighter, Saygid Arslanaliev.[18][19] Speaking to The Everyday People of Singapore, he elaborated on his state of mind during that period:

“I lost a world title fight at the end of 2018 and lost two more fights in the earlier half of 2019. Getting knocked out for the first time was definitely the most heartbreaking experience. But it was my mistake for rushing from one fight to the next. I didn’t sit down and reflect on what I needed to fix on.”[4]

Amir Khan returned to professional fighting in November 2019, besting Ev Ting of Malaysia by split decision and losing to Eto Kimihiro of Japan by submission in February 2020.[20][21][22] In October that year, Amir Khan recorded the most number of knockouts held by any fighter in ONE FC’s history with nine KOs.[23]

Professional MMA record

Result Record Opponent Method Event Year Round(s) Time Location Refs.
Win 13-7 Rahul Raju KO (elbow and punches) ONE: Reign of Dynasties 2020 1 4:47 Kallang, Singapore [24]
Loss 12-7 Kimihiro Eto Submission (rear-naked choke) ONE: King of The Jungle 1 1:39 [25]
Win 12-6 Ev Ting Decision (split) ONE: Edge of Greatness 2019 3 5:00 [26]
Loss 11-6 Saygid Arslanaliev KO (punch) ONE: Enter The Dragon 1 2:56 [27]
Loss 11-5 Ariel Sexton Submission (rear-naked choke) ONE: Call To Greatness 3 1:33 [28]
Loss 11-4 Eduard Folayang Decision (unanimous) ONE: Conquest of Champions 2018 5 5:00 Manila, Philippines [29]
Win 11-3 Honorio Banario Submission (rear-naked choke) ONE: Beyond The Horizon 1 4:34 Shanghai, China [30]
Win 10-3 Sung Jong Lee TKO (punches) ONE: Unstoppable Dreams 2 3:39 Kallang, Singapore [31]
Loss 9-3 Timofey Nastyukhin Decision (unanimous) ONE: Quest For Gold 3 5:00 Yangon, Myanmar [32]
Win 9-2 Adrian Pang Decision (unanimous) ONE: Immortal Pursuit 2017 3 5:00 Kallang, Singapore [33]
Win 8-2 Jaroslav Jartim KO (head kick and punches) ONE: Shanghai 1 3:46 Shanghai, China [34]
Win 7-2 Rajinder Singh Meena TKO (punches) ONE: Dynasty of Heroes 1 1:29 Kallang, Singapore [35]
Win 6-2 Vaughn Donayre Submission (rear-naked choke) ONE: Defending Honor 2016 3 2:22 [36]
Win 5-2 John Chang TKO (punches and elbows) ONE: Ascent to Power 1 3:39 [37]
Win 4-2 Jimmy Yabo TKO (punches) ONE: Pride of Lions 2015 1 4:18 [38]
Loss 3-2 Shannon Wiratchai Decision (split) ONE: Warrior’s Quest 3 5:00 [39]
Win 3-1 Bashir Ahmad TKO (doctor stoppage) ONE: Valor of Champions 3 3:20 Manila, Philippines [40]
Win 2-1 Waqar Umar KO (elbows) ONE: Battle of Lions 2014 1 1:25 Kallang, Singapore [41]
Win 1-1 Jian Kai Chee TKO (punches) ONE: Rise Of The Kingdom 1 2:25 Phnom Penh, Cambodia [42]
Loss 0-1 Cody James Submission (ankle lock) Global Fighting Alliance 25 1 1:42 Louisiana, United States [43]

References/ Citations

  1. ↑ “Amir Khan”. ONE Championship. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cai, Candice. “MMA fighter Amir Khan wanted to run away from Singapore and never come back”. AsiaOne. September 25, 2020. Accessed on 4 December 2020.
  3. ↑ “Tourette syndrome”. Mayo Clinic. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Arman Shah. “MMA Fighter Amir Khan: Overcoming Tourette, Bullying and Losses to Become a Champion in Life”. The Everyday People of Singapore. February 25, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Wolcott, John. “Amir Khan Fighting For His Dad After Devastating Brain Cancer Diagnosis”. ONE Championship. September 29, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  6. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. Rahul Raju | ONE Championship Full Fight”. YouTube. October 10, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  7. ↑ Loy, Daniel. “10 Things You Didn’t Know About MMA Fighter Amir Khan”. Straatosphere. October 30, 2014. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  8. ↑ “Amir Khan Goes Back To School”. ONE Championship. May 11, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020. Retrieved from Yahoo! News.
  9. ↑ PSB Academy. "PSB Academy is excited to welcome Amir Khan Ansari as our new student ambassador". Facebook. April 6, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  10. ↑ ONE Championship. "ONE Feature | Amir Khan Prepares For Life’s Greatest Gift". YouTube. February 12, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Lozada, Volt. “Amir Khan’s most anticipated moment outside the cage has arrived – he's a dad”. The New Paper. March 11, 2019. Accessed on 4 December 2020.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 “Amir Khan”. Sherdog. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  13. ↑ “GFA 25: Global Fighting Alliance 25”. Sherdog. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  14. ↑ Amir Khan. "From clerk to MMA world title contender: Singapore’s Amir Khan fights to reach the top of his sport". Channel News Asia. October 6, 2018. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  15. ↑ Narendaren Karnageran. "Dad, this fight is for you: Amir Khan". The New Paper. October 7, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  16. ↑ Tay, Cheryl. “Singapore teen Amir Khan knocks out Malaysian veteran in professional MMA debut”. Yahoo! News. September 13, 2014. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Eduard Folayang gets crack at Amir Khan for vacant ONE crown”. Tiebreaker Times. October 1, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  18. ↑ Sazali Abdul Aziz. “MMA: No dream One Championship title for Amir Khan as he loses via unanimous decision to Filipino fighter”. The Straits Times. November 24, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  19. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. "Dagi" Arslanaliev | ONE Full Fight | May 2019”. YouTube. December 20, 2019. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  20. ↑ Sazali Abdul Aziz. "MMA: Amir Khan ends losing run with win over Malaysian rival at One Championship event in Singapore". The Straits Times. November 23, 2019. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  21. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. Kimihiro Eto | ONE Full Fight | February 2020”. YouTube. March 2, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  22. ↑ Sazali Abdul Aziz. "MMA: One Championship's Amir Khan a 'different fighter' after staying #75hard during circuit breaker". The Straits Times. June 29, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  23. ↑ Sazali Abdul Aziz. "Amir wins as MMA is back". The Straits Times. October 10, 2020. Accessed on 15 December 2020.
  24. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. Rahul Raju | ONE Championship Full Fight”. YouTube. October 10, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  25. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. Kimihiro Eto | ONE Full Fight | February 2020”. YouTube. March 2, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  26. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. Ev Ting | ONE Full Fight | November 2019”. YouTube. November 23, 2019. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  27. ↑ ONE Championship. “Amir Khan vs. "Dagi" Arslanaliev | ONE Full Fight | May 2019”. YouTube. December 20, 2019. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  28. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Ariel Sexton vs. Amir Khan | Grappling Greatness | February 2019”. YouTube. February 24, 2019. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  29. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Eduard Folayang vs. Amir Khan | Back On Top | November 2018”. YouTube. November 25, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  30. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs Honorio Banario | Persistence Pays Off | September 2018”. YouTube. September 10, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  31. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs. Sung Jong Lee | Unstoppable Striking | May 2018”. YouTube. August 3, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  32. ↑ “Quest for Gold”. ONE Championship. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  33. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs. Adrian Pang | Reach And Speed | November 2017”. YouTube. May 4, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  34. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Best Fights | Jaroslav Jartim vs. Amir Khan | A Devastating KO | September 2017”. YouTube. April 8, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  35. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Rajinder Singh Meena vs. Amir Khan | Ruthless Ground And Pound | May 2016”. YouTube. February 11, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020
  36. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs. Vaughn Donayre | An Unbelievable Comeback | November 2016”. YouTube. February 18, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  37. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs. John Chang | The Young Lion Roars | May 2016”. YouTube. May 15, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  38. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs. Jimmy Yabo | The Singapore Lion | February 2015”. YouTube. April 30, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  39. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Shannon Wiratchai vs. Amir Khan | Two Explosive Strikers | May 2015”. YouTube. March 18, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  40. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE Championship: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS | Event Replay”. YouTube. October 20, 2020. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  41. ↑ ONE Championship. “ONE: Full Fight | Amir Khan vs. Waqar Umar | Crushing Elbows | November 2014”. YouTube. May 12, 2018. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  42. ↑ “Rise Of The Kingdom”. ONE Championship. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
  43. ↑ “GFA 25: Global Fighting Alliance 25”. Sherdog. n.d. Accessed on 7 December 2020.
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