FAMILY and friends of new world boxing champion Amir Khan are facing their own fight.

They are desperate to find somewhere to stay in Athens so they can support him in this summer's Olympics.

Nine of his biggest fans have booked flight and stadium tickets to cheer on the 17-year-old Bolton student, Britain's only boxer in the Olympics.

But so far they have drawn a blank trying to find accommodation in the Greek capital.

Brilliant

Khan's father, Shajaad, will resume the search now he has returned from South Korea, where he spent last week watching the brilliant Amir win the world under-19s' junior lightweight title.

Amir had to win five fights in Jeju City to become Greater Manchester's first world amateur boxing champion.

Shajaad videoed every second of the action as he has done with all of his son's 80-odd previous contests. He'll be doing the same in Athens, but admits the travelling party are getting concerned about where they will stay.

Shajaad was in the Olympic city last month when Amir took part in a multi-nations warm-up tournament and quickly discovered just how tough it will be to find a bed.

"I must have visited 30 to 40 hotels and they all said they were booked up for the Olympics," he said.

"We're looking for somewhere not too far from the boxing venue. England national coach Ian Irwin has said he will try to sort out something with the help of the British Olympic Association but we are also exploring every possibility, including via the internet."

The party of nine include Amir's three brothers and Mike Jelley, his club coach at Bury Amateur Boxing Club.

"We'll definitely be going and will sleep in Athens Airport if necessary but hopefully it won't come to that," said Jelley.

He has coached Amir since he was a boy and was in Bulgaria earlier this year when Khan clinched his Olympic place. Tweet