Khan is still only 25, a number seemingly forgotten by those urging him to retire because he lost his world title to Danny Garcia.

Eight years ago the boy from Bolton, who grew into the unified world light-welterweight champion, was the solitary GB fighter at the Athens Olympics. Khan launched his professional career after winning lightweight silver at Athens 2004.

Expressing his wishes to turn professional now, he said, "Yeah, 100 percent I miss it. If I had known in 2004 that the Olympics would be in England, I'm still 25, I could have waited [to turn professional] because that's how much the Olympics means to me."

"I'm a little bit jealous for the Olympians because I can't be a part of it," added Khan.

"I would swap everything for the Olympic Games. It's the Olympics that made me, so I will never forget that. And to be at the Olympics in London, that's even bigger, so yeah, I'd swap anything to be in this position."