Former unified light-welterweight world boxing champion Amir Khan has opened up about a robbery that recently happened to him and his wife.
Apparently, it was all about Khan’s luxury wristwatch.
According to reports, both Khan and his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, were robbed on Monday while out in the U.K.
A scary moment for @amirkingkhan, who was robbed at gunpoint in London! The boxing superstar details the frightening ordeal when he joins @mikejbabcock & @MojoMuhtadi on @TMZ_Sports – Tonight on @FS1! pic.twitter.com/FmyzG8MxYe
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 20, 2022
Testing Amir Khan
Khan had just finished eating in a restaurant about 45 minutes outside of London when the stickup happened, and guns were pointed in his face. His wife watched just feet away, according to reports.
The only item taken was a luxury watch, Khan said in a video interview. Khan was emphatic that “it’s the first time I ever had a gun literally pointed at my face,” highlighting the U.K.’s rise in violent crimes.
A Setup?
However, Khan believes his time in the restaurant entertaining fans seeking pictures may have led to a setup.
“Yeah, definitely. Obviously, I was in a restaurant taking pictures with a lot of people. I’ve never said no for a picture whenever someone wants to come for a picture,” Khan said to TMZ Sports.
“Someone must’ve recognized that watch. I was wearing a really expensive watch which is worth like maybe $100,000. I think that news must’ve traveled a little bit. So, I do think that somehow it was set up. Maybe the news just went to the wrong people, and they knew I had a watch there.”
King Khan
Khan is one of the U.K.’s biggest stars. In February, his last fight was against Kell Brook, another British legend, at the A.O. Arena in Manchester, England. Popularity aside, if he wanted to he could have attempted to disarm the weapon-holder, but he made the better decision not to.
“I’m a fighter. There was a time I thought, he had the pistol and I can just move the pistol to the side and hit him,” Khan continued. “I know I would’ve hurt the guy.
“The only thing that stopped me was having my wife not far from me, behind me. Even if he shot the gun and even if it didn’t hit me, it could’ve hit someone else.”
UK Gun Crime?
According to reports, local law enforcement launched an investigation. According to the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, the level of gun crime in the U.K. is one of the lowest in the world.
However, the agency states that the potential for harm from urban gangs, organized crime groups, and would-be terrorists makes eliminating the criminal use of firearms a priority threat for U.K. law enforcement.
“In the U.K., I mean the law is quite strong where hardly anyone, even the police, don’t really carry guns,” Amir continued. “So, it was quite shocking to see a gun pointed at me. And you could see that they were young. They seemed a bit nervous, and he kept saying to me, ‘take off your watch.’”
Just had my watch taken off me at gun point in East London, Leyton. I crossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was few steps behind me. 2 men ran to me, he asked for my watch whist having a gun pointed in my face. The main thing is we’re both safe.
— Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) April 18, 2022
Khan tweeted about the robbery when it happened.
“Just had my watch taken off me at gun point in East London, Leyton. I crossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was few steps behind me. 2 men ran to me, he asked for my watch whist having a gun pointed in my face. The main thing is we’re both safe.”
Now On (the) Run Eating (N.O.R.E.)
The local Metropolitan Police issued a statement to the media about the incident in Leyton, east London.
“A man aged in his 30s is alleged to have been approached by two males who threatened him with a firearm before stealing his watch and fleeing,” read the statement to CNN.
“There were no reports of any shots fired or any injuries. Police responded and conducted an area search. At this very early stage there have been no arrests. An investigation has begun and police are following a number of enquiries.”
Where Is The Love?
This is not the first time Khan has been targeted for an attack in the U.K. According to reports, he was ambushed in 2016 by an armed gang trying to steal his $130,000 Range Rover in Manchester.
Earlier in 2012, he was also the victim of attempted car theft in Birmingham, England. Khan and his wife are working with authorities in the U.K. to improve the crime problem.