AMIR KHAN was so taken aback by his overnight Olympic stardom that he did not even know how to sign an autograph.
The British great was just 17 when he returned home with silver from the 2004 Games in Athens – the only GB boxer to medal that year.
He secured vital funding for Olympic boxing back home, helping shape the next generation of stars like Anthony Joshua, who won gold in 2012.
Khan’s defeat in the final in Greece against Cuba’s Mario Kindelan drew over EIGHT MILLION viewers on BBC – creating a baby-faced superstar.
Looking back, Khan told SunSport: “I remember coming back to the airport in Heathrow and with the whole Olympic team.
“And it’s the first time ever they put me in First Class. They said to me, ‘You did so well in the Olympics. We’re gonna put you in the First Class.’
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“And I was like, ‘Wow, First Class!’ I landed and some people were asking for autographs. I didn’t know what to sign. I did not know.
“I just scribbled my name as fast as I could because I did not know how to do a signature. I mean, it was all new to me.
“I was only 17 years old. I was hardly doing any interviews. When I was doing interviews, I was really shy and I was holding back. I didn’t know what to say.
“It totally changed my life coming back from the Olympics. I couldn’t even walk the streets. But it was all love. There was nothing bad.
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“It was all love and people respected me and also showed me a lot of love.”
Khan avenged his defeat to Kindelan a year later – drawing 6.3m ITV viewers – before turning professional.
And he would go on to have a sensational career, winning unified world titles at 140lb, facing iconic names like Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.
But Khan still values his Olympic silver as much as the huge paydays and world titles earned in the pro ranks.
He said: “That Olympic medal means a lot to me because it put me on the platform. They knew who Amir Khan was.
“There’s a lot of fighters now fighting, and they might be amazing amateurs, but they’re gonna turn professional, they have no recognition.
“They have to build themselves up. But luckily I had that recognition before I turned professional.
“So when I went to the professional game, I had everyone supporting me. I had everyone behind me pushing me, supporting me and being behind me.
“So yeah, I think that amateur boxing, especially Olympic level boxing, definitely helps.”
I landed and some people were asking for autographs. I didn’t know what to sign. I did not know. I just scribbled my name as fast as I could because I did not know how to do a signature. I mean, it was all new to me.
Amir Khan on his Olympic success
Khan, 38, retired in 2022 following a bitter grudge match loss to Kell Brook, 39, since focusing on charity work and promoting.
He waived his right to rematch Brook and admits only the great Manny Pacquiao, 46, could tempt him back into a return.
Khan said at the 2025 IBA World Championships in Dubai: “I just didn’t have it in me to go back in camp again. I was done with the sport.
“When you’re financially just secure and you’ve got everything you want, I mean, I just didn’t have it in me. I didn’t wanna go into training camp again.
“I hated every bit of it in the first fight we had and then there was a rematch clause in there, and I was like, ‘You know what? I don’t need it.’
“I’m a prizefighter but at the end of the day it is what it is. I’m just gonna walk away from the sport and I kind of made my mind up straight after the fight as well.
“Like, some people say something after the fight and don’t stick to it. I’m gonna stick to it, you know what I’m saying?
“The only person I’ve ever come back for and do an exhibition fight or maybe a fight is probably someone like Manny Pacquiao because size-wise I think style-wise is good.”
