Amir Khan backs fighter welfare campaign

Former boxing world champion Amir Khan has backed a campaign to investigate safety and welfare across combat sports.

The Bolton boxer has co-founded Global Fighters' Association (GFA) to campaign for better working conditions for those involved in combat sports.

The group is fundraising to pay for an inquiry led by led by barrister Jonathan Caplan KC into fighters' medical care, pay, contracts and support after retirement.

Khan said he had sometimes paid between £700 and £1,000 a year for medical tests during his career and there needed to be an organisation fighters could turn to "when something goes wrong", whether during training, over contracts or after retirement.

Liverpool's Paul Smith, a former British champion, also helped found the GFA.

He said some boxers competing at lower levels could earn only a few hundred pounds after expenses, despite spending weeks preparing for a fight.

"We want to try and create some form of safety blanket for fighters," he said.

Smith also spoke about the difficulties of adjusting to life after boxing.

"You lose that purpose, you lose that identity, you lose your day-to-day routine," he said.

The GFA hopes to raise £500,000 to pay for the inquiry, which intends to gather evidence from fighters, doctors, referees and promoters.

The money will also support the group's wider plans to establish a trade union.

The British Boxing Board of Control, which regulates professional boxing in Britain, already requires annual medical examinations and brain scans.

Its general secretary, Robert Smith, told BBC Sport earlier this year that the board provided insurance for death and permanent injury.

He also said it would support the creation of an independent fighters' union.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.