Amir Khan reveals he feared masked thugs would KILL him as they stole his £72,000 watch at gunpoint

Amir Khan has revealed how he feared he was going to die after being robbed of his £72,000 luxury watch at gunpoint by two thugs while out with his wife in East London on Monday night.

The 35-year-old boxer had a gun thrust in his face as masked assailants stole his Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph watch before escaping while his distraught wife Faryal Makhdoom looked on.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Khan said: 'It was dark, this masked man came up to me and at first, I thought it was a friend playing a practical joke.

'But then he pulls out a gun and shoves it right at my face and I thought: 'This is the end; I'm going to die.' I was in genuine fear for my life and the main thing that I was thinking about was my wife and kids. I thought I might never see them again.'

The former world champion claimed that he is aware of the identity of the person who he believes orchestrated the robbery and has informed the police. 

Khan's comments came as his wife revealed she was left 'just screaming' after the ordeal - which she described as 'so, so scary' - telling MailOnline: 'Amir really had to calm me down.'

She added: 'To the selfish guys who pointed a gun at my husband’s head and risked everything, risked our lives all for a fricking watch, I say to you: Shame on you. How dare you pull that stunt on two parents all for a watch.' 

In an Instagram post earlier today, Faryal shared a video of two hooded men getting out of a Mercedes before making a beeline towards her and her husband.

Moments later the pair robbed the boxer of his £72,000 diamond-encrusted watch before running off.    

In an Instagram post, under the title 'footage of last night's robbery', Amir Khan's wife, Faryal Makhdoomm shared the image of the two men getting out of a Mercedes moments before making a beeline towards her and her husband

The former world champion (pictured far left, with his wife while filming with Keith Lemon today) told MailOnline that he is aware of the identity of the person who he believes orchestrated the robbery and has informed the police

In a post to her Instagram account late last night, Khan's wife also said the watch was stolen and posted its serial number in a bid to try and 'find out who's done this'

Khan revealed that he considered hitting his attacker and trying to disarm him but the thought of Faryal, who was standing a few steps back, and their three children prevented him from taking any action.

He said: 'I could have easily hit him, and I did think about it for a brief moment. But then I knew Faryal was with me, and he could have killed her, never mind me.

'It was all over very quickly. The attacker just shouted: 'Give me your watch.' I tried to remain calm, didn't speak to him and just slipped it off my wrist and handed it over.'

As his voice trembled with anger, Khan added: 'This whole thing has left me and Faryal very shaken up and scared. You don't expect to be robbed at gun point, not in London. That's the kind of thing that happens in the US but not in England.

'I'm lucky to be alive and once the robbers fled, I just wanted to hug my wife and kids. The thought of my family stopped me from taking them on because if I had, I could be dead now.'

Khan added: '100% this whole attack was premediated. I was specifically targeted, the robbers knew where I was and were alerted to this by somebody who knew my movements.'

The boxer revealed that the attack took place moments after he left the Sahara Grill in Leyton, where he had gone to break his Ramadan fast with Faryal, who described how two men jumped out of a Mercedes 'the moment' they left the trendy restaurant.

She questioned: 'How could they have possibly known we would come out when we did?'

Faryal also claimed that Khan later admitted to her that he instinctively would have tried to disarm the first robber because he originally 'didn't see the second gun pointed at them'.

She furiously told MailOnline: 'To the selfish guys who pointed a gun at my husband's head and risked everything, risked our lives all for a fricking watch, I say to you: Shame on you. How dare you pull that stunt on two parents all for a watch.

'Amir is so good to his fans, and he'll stop for photos and stuff like that. But I had told him: You can't just stop for anybody on the street, especially if you're so well known. You have to be careful about who you stop for. You don't know who these people are or what their intentions are.

'They must have decided to steal Amir's watch because he'll wear T-shirts in photos that he puts on Instagram, and so it's visible on his wrist. 

Moments later the pair robbed the British former world champion boxer, 35, of his £72,000 Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph watch before speeding off. Pictured: The pair getting out of a Mercedes moments before the incident

In her post (pictured), the 30-year-old influencer, who was out for dinner with Khan at the time of the robbery, said: 'Two men coming out of the car... they knew exactly what time we walked out.

The post was followed by pictures and video of Makhdoom and Khan with comedian Leigh Francis, in character as TV host Keith Lemon

'But what I can't work out is: How did they know we'd leave the Saharan Grill when we would? How could they have possibly known we would come out when we did?'.

Hours before the incident, Khan was pictured with a fan while shopping in Oxford Street wearing his flashy Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph, which is worth around £72,000 and is studded with 719 diamonds.

And he was also pictured wearing it in photos from a charity do at the Grosvenor House Hotel the night before — raising fears that he might have been specifically targeted.

'The two guys jumped out of the car. I was just a little bit behind Amir, so I didn't really know what was happening to start with. But then I realised that the guy closest to Amir had put the gun up to his head, and a second guy behind him was also carrying a gun,' Miss Makhdoom continued.

'It was so so scary, afterwards I was just screaming. Amir really had to calm me down.

'He told me afterwards that the guy had told him: Give me your watch or I'll shoot you. Amir said that he might have tried to have taken the gun out of his hands, but quickly saw the guy behind him was also carrying a gun. And he just couldn't risk doing anything.

'When you're a parent, you can't risk doing anything that would put yourself in harm's way like that. But these guys just didn't seem to care about that. What would make a person do that? How could they do that to us? All for a watch?

'Honestly it has made me think about getting more security. That's not something I'd have considered before, but it's just so dangerous out there.'

Faryal added: 'Police are really trying, they've been supportive and we've given them CCTV of the robbery. We're just trying to get all this out there so we can find these guys as soon as possible.'

Khan had spent part of the day filming for a BBC television programme, attending meetings about future boxing ventures and also went shopping in the West End, where he posed for photos with fans. 

Hours before the incident, Khan was pictured with a fan while shopping in Oxford Street wearing his flashy watch, which is worth around £72,000 and is studded with 719 diamonds

Referring to the attacker's possible identity, Khan said: 'He's from the East London area and sees himself as a gangster. I've given the police his name and hopefully they will be taking action very soon.

'I'm sick of all this gangster stuff. That is not my world. I'm a hard-working family man who wants to earn good money and live a decent life. I didn't deserve to be robbed like this; nobody does.'

Former world champion Khan last fought in February in Manchester, where he lost to Kell Brook and then announced that he was quitting the ring.

Khan fumed: 'Somebody who was part of my inner circle did this to me. He's threatened me in the past and he's been going around bragging that he ordered the hit on me.

'He jumped on my bandwagon when I was a pro-boxer but when I retired, he jumped off. Sadly, there have been a lot of people like that.'

Khan expressed stinging criticism of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who he claims has allowed crime in the capital to 'get out of control.'

He protested: 'Sadiq Khan needs to pull his finger out and do something because London is not a safe place anymore. Gun and knife crime is increasing in all parts of the city. It's disgusting what has happened to London and what happened to me.'

Since the robbery, Khan revealed that he had been contacted by friends from all over the world expressing concern.

He said: 'People are too afraid to come to London now because crime is out of control. Sadiq Khan is doing a terrible job and this huge increase in gun and knife crime is happening under his watch. It's absolutely disgraceful.'

Khan revealed that he is now planning to leave for Dubai later this week with Faryal and their three children so that he can come to terms with his ordeal.

He said: 'I don't feel safe in London anymore and just need to get away for a few days. Both Faryal and I are very shocked by what happened, and we need to spend a few days together as a family to help us overcome it.

'We were supposed to return to our home in Bolton, but we just need some time away in the sun.'   

Khan claimed on Twitter that a gun was pointed in his face as his assailants stole his Franck Muller Vanguard Chronograph before speeding off in a car in Leyton

Amir Khan and wife Faryal pose on the red carpet during the BT Sport Industry Awards 2017 at Battersea Evolution on April 27, 2017 

Meanwhile, in a post titled 'footage of last night's robbery', Faryal - who was out for dinner with Khan at the time - said: 'Two men coming out of the car... they knew exactly what time we walked out.

'Seems like a set up to me, considering we didn't even post where we were. It makes me sick to the stomach to know someone sitting in the restaurant was probably the one plotting this.'

The post was followed by another with pictures and video of Makhdoom and Khan at a photoshoot with comedian Leigh Francis - in character as TV host Keith Lemon. 

Assuring fans on Twitter that he and his 30-year-old influencer wife were unharmed during the incident, Khan said: 'Just had my watch taken off me at gun point in East London, Leyton.

'I crossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was few steps behind me. Two men ran to me, he asked for my watch whilst having a gun pointed in my face. The main thing is we're both safe.' 

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at 21:15hrs on Monday, 18 April to High Road, Leyton.

'A man aged in his 30s is alleged to have been approached by two males who threatened him with a firearm before stealing his watch and fleeing. There were no reports of any shots fired or any injuries. 

Khan is pictured wearing the watch at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, April 16, 2022. Since the robbery, Khan revealed that he had been contacted by friends from all over the world expressing concern

The Olympic medalist was seen wearing the watch at the Grosvenor House Hotel the night before – raising fears he may have been specifically targeted

'Police responded and conducted an area search. At this very early stage there have been no arrests. An investigation has begun, and police are following a number of enquiries.'

Hours before the incident, Khan was pictured with a fan while shopping in Oxford Street wearing his flashy watch, which is worth around £72,000 and is studded with 719 diamonds.

And the Olympic medallist was also wearing it in an Instagram post from a charity do at the Grosvenor House Hotel the night before – raising fears he may have been specifically targeted. 

An eyewitness told The Sun that Khan was visibly shaken by the ordeal, adding: 'They were not hanging around. They got straight into the car and fled.

'Amir had enjoyed a lovely evening with his wife and had been shopping earlier in the day. It raises real fears he was a deliberate target. It's extremely serious. He was left absolutely terrified.'

In a post to her Instagram account late last night, Khan's wife Makhdoom also claimed the watch was stolen and posted its serial number in a bid to try and 'find out who's done this'.  

Undated BBC handout photo of Amir Khan with his wife Faryal Makhdoom. The boxer assured fans on Twitter that he and his 30-year-old influencer wife were unharmed during the incident

Conor Benn (left) is congratulated by Khan after knocking out Chris van Heerden in the World Boxing Association Continental Welter Title bout at the AO Arena, Manchester, April 16, 2022 

Khan and Makhdoom, who got married in 2013 in New York, have three children, Lamisah, Muhammad and Alayna.  

Former world champion Khan last fought in February in Manchester, where he lost to Kell Brook. 

Last week he was booed by a crowd in Manchester after he refused to commit to fighting Conor Benn.

Khan had entered the ring to congratulate Benn after he got the better of South African Chris van Heerden on Saturday and didn't commit to a blockbuster bout against the 25-year-old.

'I am just here to enjoy the boxing. I'm a fan. I'm here to support him', Khan said ringside after Benn's victory. At the moment to spend time to my family but who knows. If I comeback then we can see where we go from there. He is a young and hungry lion.'

In 2012 Khan was ambushed by an armed gang that reportedly tried to steal his £100,000 Range Rover.  

An onlooker is quoted in The Sun as saying: 'These guys tried to jump Amir and his brother but they picked on the wrong blokes.

'They parked their car in front of the Range Rover. At least one had a cosh. One slapped Amir and clipped him on the lip but Amir pulled back and knocked him out cold.

'Then five of them went for Amir and Haroon - but they stood their ground and these guys got dropped one by one. They left these men with cuts and bruises but all they were doing was defending their property.'