OLYMPIC medalist Amir Khan dropped by the Trafford Centre on Saturday - but fighting through the crowds for sale bargains was the last thing on the Bolton's boxer's mind.

Instead he wowed crowds by staging a training session at the multi-million pound shopping complex in the run-up to his first professional fight later this month.

Amir went through a series of warm-up and skipping exercises in a specially constructed ring before shadow boxing cheered on by hundreds of onlookers seated in the hall or watching from the balcony.

Although there were plenty of smiles from the 18-year-old boxing superstar, the training session was not a publicity stunt.

It was a part of a tough programme Amir is following before his first professional bout against Londoner David Bailey at the Bolton Arena on July 16.

Amir's agent Asif Vali said: "We really wanted to hold this public training session in Bolton, Amir's home town, but there was nowhere suitable, so we held it at the Trafford Centre."

He added: "We needed to get Amir back in front of a crowd of people and cameras and get him training where it is noisy because that will be what he will be up against during the match."

Amir is confident about the fight but is training hard leaving nothing to chance.

He said: "I have seen a few videos of Bailey. He has had about eight fights and I am fairly sure I can beat him and can certainly push on from there."

Amir said his tough workout at the Trafford Centre was also his way of "giving something back" to his supporters. Mr Vali said: "It also shows them the amount of hard work Amir Khan has to put in before a match.

"He has been training six days a weeks, with only a few days off in the last months.

"He is completely focused on the up and coming match. People could see in his eyes how focused he is."

Restaurant goers in The Orient area of the centre watched as Amir worked out with "Team Khan" - his backroom staff and boxing friends - led by his trainer Oliver Harrison. Those without a ringside seat saw the action on a massive television screen.

In addition to the warm up exercises and shadow boxing the crowd was also treated to a display of Amir's boxing skills in a "match" against his trainer.

And shoppers agreed that watching Amir's workout beat the bargains on offer in the stores on Saturday.

They included Maureen Woodall from Preston who said she was "thrilled to bits" to see Amir.

She said: "He is such a role model to everybody. The people watching him today are from different generations, creeds and races. Amir brings everyone together. He is someone youngsters can aspire to.

"With this public training match he is bringing sport back to the people, who can see the hard work and discipline that goes in to it all."

Eight-year-old Ryan McGuinness from Swinton said: "I would like to be a boxer. It was great watching Amir train."

His brother, Michael, aged 17, said: "We were going to the pictures but when we saw Amir we had to stop and watch. It was better than watching the Saturday premier."

Following the afternoon training session, Amir met fans to sign autographs and pose for photographs.