Amir Khan was born December 8, 1986 and is an English boxer of Pakistani origin from Bolton, Lancashire, England. He was a hyperactive child and "a born fighter", according to his father, who encouraged him to take up boxing. Khan rose to fame as Britain's only boxing representative at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning a silver medal at the age of 17 in the lightweight boxing category. He lost in the final to Mario Kindelan of Cuba, who was widely regarded as the best pound for pound amateur boxer in the world. In 2005 he avenged this loss by defeating Kindelan in his last amateur fight. Despite declaring after the 2004 Olympics that he would pursue a Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Amir turned professional in 2005, signing with England's leading boxing promoter, Frank Warren. He has won his first six professional fights, drawing good reviews.