Abdul Khan credits cousin Amir for sparking his boxing dream

Abdul Khan says watching his cousin Amir Khan's world-title success inspired a generation of South Asian boxers, himself included. The comment underscores the former two-weight world champion's impact beyond the ring.

“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 Khan, via BBC Sport

What Abdul Khan said

Amir Khan became Britain's youngest Olympic boxing medallist in 2004 before winning world titles at lightweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light-welterweight and welterweight. Abdul Khan is following in those footsteps as a professional boxer. Speaking to BBC Sport, Abdul pointed to his cousin's achievements as the catalyst for his own career and those of countless young fighters from similar backgrounds.

What it moves

The remarks highlight Amir Khan's legacy as a trailblazer for South Asian athletes in British boxing. Abdul Khan's generation now carries that torch forward, with the former champion's influence shaping the sport's demographic makeup. Whether Abdul reaches similar heights remains to be seen, but the motivational foundation is clear.

Source: bbc.com. Full Abdul Khan fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.