Sports story by sports.co.uk, Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:05:14 GMT



Amir Khan is urging close friend Andy Murray to make it a double British sporting success this summer. The 22-year-old will be cheering Murray on for Grand Slam glory at Wimbledon over the next fortnight - and is then vowing to match his feat by claiming his first world title on July 18.The Bolton hot-shot has a tough fight on his hands against Ukrainian WBA World Light-Welterweight champion Andreas Kotelnik - who has never been stopped in 34 fights - but he is confident of victory.



And he reckons world No.3 Murray, who recently became Queen's champion and is seeded two for Wimbledon, can become the first Brit to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.




He said: "It would tremendous for British sport this summer if I can win the world title and for Andy to do the business at Wimbledon.




"He's been putting in some great performances recently and he was awesome when he got to the final of the US Open, so I think this could be the year for him.




"Obviously Roger Federer is his main rival but Andy's got the toughness in him to triumph - and that's speaking from personal experience.




"I've sparred a few rounds with him and he's a definitely got plenty of fight in him."




Khan will tackle Kotelnik at the M.E.N Arena next month after their fight was delayed by three weeks because of an injury the champion picked up in sparring.




But Khan says having to wait a while longer for his big moment will make victory all the sweeter when it happens.




"It's what I've dreamed of since I first put on a pair gloves," he said. "To be in the Olympic final in Athens was unbelievable but this is going to be bigger.




He added: "The British public have been going through a tough time with the economic situation recently but I think that sport can lift the mood of the nation if its athletes are doing well.




"There's no big football tournaments this summer, but Andy and I can kick things off in style, and I reckon our cricketers are in with a great chance of winning back the Ashes as well."