Exclusive: Boxer Amir Khan and His Wife Faryal Makhdoom On Life, Parenthood And Finding A Home In Dubai

Amir Khan is a picture of calm as the storm rages outside his luxurious Dubai home. Responding to the apocalyptic weather with an easy-going smile, the British-Pakistani boxer has total faith in the Emirates and the country’s ability to come out on top. Or perhaps his remarkable ease is thanks to his wife, Brooklyn-born beauty entrepreneur and influencer Faryal Makhdoom, who is constantly tapping away on her phone, dealing with everything from the leaks in their house to the trees that were knocked down in their garden! “She manages all the things around the house, all the banking stuff, all the accounts,” says Amir proudly, admitting that his role is more focused on the physical aspects — from boxing to heading up a recently opened gym in Dubai. 

The couple seem to have it all figured out when playing to each other’s strengths. It’s apparent at once that they are opposites, which is likely why even after 11 years of marriage, their relationship is stronger than ever. At first glance, one might assume that 37-year-old Amir is the tougher partner — indeed to be expected from Britain’s youngest Olympic boxing medallist. And while that may be true when it comes to physical strength, his Pakistani-American wife is a pocket-sized force to be reckoned with.

Photographed by: Michel Takla

“Faryal is more feisty compared to me,” he says. “I need someone tough around me because I’m the soft kind, but Faryal is the one who can say no for me. She makes sure no one takes advantage of me.” She seems equally proud of her husband, admitting that the traits that first attracted her to him continue to be the ones she is most grateful for. “I liked Amir because of his hard work. He was so young and had achieved so much. It was very inspiring,” she says proudly. “He’s very loving and caring. That, together with the fact that he was able to financially look after me, was just wow.” 

Photographed by: Michel Takla

Amir felt a similar sense of awe when he first met Faryal in New York through a mutual friend in 2011. “The good thing about Faryal was that when we first got speaking, she really didn’t know who I was,” he remembers with a laugh. Within months, the two had been introduced to each other’s parents, and a year later, they were engaged. Their respective upbringings in New York and Bolton might just be the root of their ‘opposites attract’ romance. While Faryal is every inch the glamorous big-city girl, Amir had more humble beginnings in a small British town. Coming from a working-class family, his childhood was characterised by simplicity: his typical daily routine would often involve heading straight from school to the mosque and then back home. It was a life that kept him grounded once he catapulted to fame at 17. 

“It was always hard because I was still growing up,” he says, pointing out that his family was paramount when dealing with everything at that age. 

While Amir spent his youth in the boxing ring, 32-year-old Faryal also had to grow up fast when she married her sporting star husband, five years her senior, at the age of 21. All their differences aside, this remains something the couple have in common, making parenthood all the more precious for them. 

Photographed by: Michel Takla

“We grew up with our kids because we were young as well,” Amir says, explaining how their parenting style has always been more informal than the way they were raised. It’s apparent at once why his wife insists he’s a great father to their two daughters, Lamaisah and Alayna, and son Muhammad Zaviyar, born in 2014, 2018 and 2020, respectively. 

Photographed by: Michel Takla

“When children come into your life, you forget your own happiness,” he says. Even his passion for the sport to which he dedicated his life cannot compare to the love he has for his children — the reason he never wants them to follow his footsteps into boxing. “I know how hard it is, honestly, and I’ve done the hard work for them. It takes over your life. I didn’t do a lot of things I wanted to do and don’t want them to miss out on them.”

This dedication to his role as a father prompted their move to Dubai two years ago. While the sunny climate of the Emirates was certainly an attractive factor, safety trumped all other criteria. “I got a gun put to my head and my watch stolen,” says Amir, recounting a robbery in East London where a gunman took a Dhs325,000 Franck Muller timepiece from him. This incident, coupled with rising crime rates, convinced the pair that they wanted something different for their family. 

Amir and Faryal are now more than comfortable calling Dubai their home. From days spent with the kids running in parks to hosting soirées for their friends, life has been perfect. Dubai has also been ideal for their professional endeavors. 

Photographed by: Michel Takla

While Amir is busy bringing his love for boxing to children through classes at his gym, Faryal has a multitude of things to focus on in addition to her family and handling her husband’s  accounting and legal affairs. “I have my own beauty brand, which I’m expanding with more products,” she explains, before diving into her work as an influencer and the community she’s built. “Dubai is so small, and I feel like all the influencers here support one another.” 

The move seemingly made everything a little easier for them, which is ideal for this chapter in all their lives. Amir adds, “The vision that Sheikh Mohammed has is amazing. What he’s done with Dubai is something that some people can’t even dream of.” 

Photography: Michel Takla. Words: Saleha Noor. Styling: Rim Choucair. Assisted by: Tooba Waseem, Jonathan Kapeya, and Aanya Royce.