Two and a half weeks after Amir Khan takes on Chris Algieri in Brooklyn, New York, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins.
After Amir Khan fights Chris Algieri on May 29, he will be ready to start his Ramadan observance.
During the month, Muslims are expected to fast from dawn to dusk. For Khan, whose faith has carried him through the ranks as one of the top 147-pounders in the game, it’s an important observance that he’s always fully committed to.
“I think one of the reasons I’ve got so far is with God’s help, so I have to show my respect,” Amir Khan said. “I want to do my fast and do everything I need to do for my religion. I think my fast is going to give me that confidence to go in the ring and put a great fight on because I know I’ve got God on my side. I’m giving something up, and I’m still fasting and training, and I’m sure God is going to be with me and he’s going to help me in the fight.”
As an athlete, though, Ramadan makes keeping to a training schedule considerably more complicated. Complicated, but not impossible. Khan has done it twice before, and even with adjusting to a different training regimen from mid-June through mid-July, he could be back in the ring as early as September.
“I’ve spoken to scholars in the Muslim religion who have said to me, ‘yes, you can do it,’” Khan said. “I can still keep the fast and train. Then I have another eight weeks without fasting. I think a fight can happen in September.”
First, though, comes Khan vs Algieri, and you can follow along with all our coverage at our fight page.
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