A GREENMOUNT lawyer will be boxing clever as he aims to maximise the lucrative opportunities beckoning Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan.

Gareth Williams (38) acts for the 17-year-old boxing sensation and flew from Malaga to Athens at the request of Amir's beleaguered family to take on the role of intermediary following intense interest generated by the boxer's outstanding performances.

Gareth is an associate partner in Manchester-based law firm Davies Arnold Cooper and is an integral part of the company's national sports division. He already acts for Lancashire cricketer Sajid Mahmood, a cousin of Amir Khan.

The lawyer, himself a keen cricketer and former captain of Greenmount Cricket Club, said: "I've been acting for Amir for probably around six months now.

"To be honest, there was very little interest in him prior to the Olympics. But now, the phones haven't stopped ringing."

Gareth is fully aware that his client has suddenly become hot property and a magnet for the world's media, prospective sponsors and would-be promoters.

"I was at Malaga Airport last week waiting to fly home after a holiday when I got a call from Amir's family.

"They told me it was absolute mayhem in Athens and said they wanted me over there."

He added: "There are quite a number of opportunities available. It's a matter of sitting down with him and working out a strategy and deciding what he's going to do.

"The fact that many people are ringing me up, it's quite obvious that Amir has become a big star overnight. During the time I spent with him in Athens, we didn't discuss anything like that.

"Everything was related to his boxing."

Amir's family originally approached Gareth to act for the Bury Amateur Boxing Club fighter as an alternative to securing the services of an agent.

"That was a conscious decision on behalf of the family," he said.

"I'll be helping them out and pointing Amir in the right direction."