‘Magic’ Khan plans to quit after defeat
By Avenash Ramzan
Guyanese boxer Imran ‘Magic’ Khan has vowed to hang up the gloves following his bruising clash with Quincy ‘Glittering’ Gomes on the ‘Bad Intentions’ boxing card on Saturday evening. Prior to the fight, Khan said if he lost, he would quit the sport.
In the post-fight interview with News Room, the lightweight pugilist confirmed that it was his last fight, following a Unanimous Decision loss. Khan lost the six-round Lightweight contest, with the judges all having Gomes ahead on points.
It was Khan’s second loss, both of which have come at the hands of Gomes, in just three professional fights. His career had gotten off to the perfect start, knocking out David Thomas in round three of their four-round Lightweight contest last October.
Prior to the fight getting underway on Saturday, ring announcer Basil Bradshaw had informed the crowd of Khan’s intentions to quit the sport had he lost to Gomes.
It was a brutal contest for Khan, who suffered a cut above the left eye in the early rounds, limiting his vision to some extent as blood began to ooze from the wound. At the post-fight interview, Khan, sporting a disappointed and frustrated look, said he is calling it a day.
“Like I said, I’ll stick to my word. I’ll just go back to my mistake them, but I think it is over for me,” the young boxer said during E-Networks’ live broadcast of the card.
Khan, who is currently signed with Next Generation Boxing, was a very prolific boxer at the amateur level, winning 102 fights. Although the going has been tough as a professional, Khan’s opponent on Saturday night is urging the fighter to reconsider his decision to quit. Like Khan, Gomes is also currently under the wings of Next Generation Boxing.
“Imran Khan said if I beat him he would quit boxing, but let me tell you something: he’s a good fighter and my advice to him is don’t stop. He mek a mistake; he should ah never call me back because I’m the best. He should ah look for another opponent, that’s what I think,” Gomes reckoned.
Khan, who started his career at the Harpy Eagles Boxing Gym, represented Guyana at several events, most notably the Commonwealth Games in Scotland in 2014 and the Youth Commonwealth Games in 2011.
The talented fighter was also named joint Junior Sportsman-of-the-Year for 2011. That same year he won bronze at the ALBA games in Venezuela after defeating Kenny Canon of the host country 4-1. He was also named the Boxer-of-the-Year by the Guyana Boxing Association for the same period. Khan was also a gold medallist at the inaugural Goodwill Games in 2010. Over the years he competed in both the bantamweight and lightweight divisions.
Cover photo caption: Boxer Imran ‘Magic’ Khan speaking to News Room’s Avenash Ramzan after Saturday’s fight at the Giftland Mall