Abdul Khan was in nappies when his cousin Amir won the nation’s hearts and a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
By the time world champion Amir produced a career-defining performance against Marcos Maidana in 2010, Abdul was a seven-year-old watching wide-eyed in Bolton.
On Saturday, featherweight Abdul faces journeyman Liam Fitzmaurice at Wembley in a watershed moment for British South Asian boxing.
The card is headlined by unbeaten light-welterweight Adam Azim and features prospects Mohammad Bilal Ali, Vijayraj Karia and Saqib Mehmood in the earlier bouts – meaning five south Asian fighters will share billing.
“Seeing Amir reach the heights of the sport only lit the fire in probably the majority of the South Asian kids out there, including me,” Abdul, 23, tells BBC Sport.
Amir rose to prominence after winning silver in Athens aged 17 and went on to capture world titles at light-welterweight, becoming one of Britain’s most high-profile boxers.
Unbeaten in 14 professional fights with three knockouts, Abdul is the first to admit his surname helped carve his path. The family connection even led to him fighting on the undercard of Amir’s final professional bout against Kell Brook.
But after building his record on the small-hall scene and on international cards, the time has come to step out of the familial shade.
“Being known as his cousin was always going to be like that because of what Amir achieved,” Abdul says. “I’m grateful for everything he has done to open the doors – but it is all right getting through the doors, it is how good you are to stay in those rooms.
“It’s been my own hard work and dedication which has kept those doors open. This only gives me more of a push to just get out of the shadow. I think we’re all our own people and I’d love to shrug off that tag of Amir’s cousin.
“My team have always said to build me in the right way and to explode when the time comes – now it’s my time.
“He done so much for me but I don’t want to latch onto anyone else’s name, you only appreciate it more – and get appreciated – if you do it this way.”
