THE cousin of Bolton boxer Amir Khan is fast becoming a force to watch in the ring.
Nineteen-year-old Abdul Khan is boxing's new sensation after punching his way to a thrilling victory during last Saturday’s fight night at Manchester AO's Arena.
Abdul, who lives in Bolton, recently turned pro boxer and on Saturday extended his winning record to 3-0 on cousin Amir’s undercard.
Fighting against Ricky Starkey, Abdul won with 40-35 on points.
Speaking to The Bolton News, the teenager boxer said: “I felt good in there on Saturday, I felt amazing. He was quite a scrappy opponent, but I did what I was going in there to do, and I got the win.
“The whole night felt like a thrill, my adrenaline was pumping, and I loved every second of it.
“Even before the fight on the training days, I was just getting used to everything going on in the moment and I felt so comfortable.”
Amir has supported Abdul from a young age and is instrumental in managing his career.
Abdul said: “Amir was just saying to stay calm and collected to just box. He gave me good advice and told me to do what I do best and go out there and win.
“My opponent would hold on to me, but I did my thing and stopped him from doing that too much.”
Abdul’s first fight debut was in Dubai at Amir Khan’s Crypto Fight Night.
The boxer said: “It all just feels so surreal and Saturday night was what I have always dreamt of doing. I just wanted to get out there and show my passion."
While Abdul’s night ended in cheers, Amir’s hotly anticipated fight ended with a defeat for the famous boxer, but Abdul remains his most loyal fan.
He said: “I was gutted for him because he’s a true legend who has opened a lot of doors for many people, like me.
“He’ll still be remembered as one of the best and I hope he comes back and does what is best for him in his career now.
“I have a lot of respect for him because he has supported me and others, he genuinely is such a nice guy and still a champion.”
Abdul is now hungry for more wins and will announce his next fight soon.
On whether he was now the next King Khan, he said: “Only time will tell.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here