Kindelan, a southpaw, represents all that amateur boxing at the highest level stands for. "It is well-suited to the Cuban character," says Alcides Sagarra, the inspiration behind the island's proud history of Olympic success.
"We are brave, resolute, selfless. We have strong convictions and clear definition. We are pugnacious and we like to fight."
Khan has already discovered, to his cost, just how pugnacious Kindelan can be. The king of the ring and the pretender to his crown duelled in a pre-Olympic tournament at Peristeri. Ominously for the weekend ahead, Kindelan cruised to a decisive win.
Khan, Britain's only boxing representative here, graciously admitted: "It was only when I faced him inside the ring that I realised what he's capable of.
"He's fast on his feet, has quick hands and knows every trick in the book. But I'm glad of the experience. I learned a lot and the mistakes I made I won't be repeating.
"I know what to expect next time, when it matters."
The next assignment for Khan is his semi-final showdown with Kazakhstan's Serik Yeleuov tomorrow night.
Yeleuov likes to work behind his sharp jab, but Khan has already fought two southpaws and is capable of coping with different styles. "I think he has shown over the course of the week that he can box tactically and he also has the power," said Team GB boxing coach Terry Edwards. "Amir's not had one easy fight and he deserves to be where he is - the semi-finals."
If he does get past Yeleuov, facing Kindelan will be a different prospect altogether. He wants the Olympic title badly and aims to retire afterwards and become a gym instructor.
He will probably work where he trained for Athens, at Cuba's National Boxing School on the outskirtsof Havana where one of the pictures on the wall is that of a young Fidel Castro dressed in military fatigues and with his gloved fists raised in the air.
Never mind the political ideology, the sporting principles that enable Cuba to remain one of the dominant forces in amateur boxing have been embraced to good effect by Kindelan.
"At six in the morning we wake up," he said. "The first thing I do is weigh myself. An athlete's weight, particularly that of a boxer, is crucial and we have been educated in that discipline.
"The first training session starts at 8am with physical training and special-preparation lasting until 9.30. We're served lunch at 11.30am and then the technical part of the training begins at 3pm."
It goes on day after day in a relentless pursuit of pugilistic perfection.
Sarbelio Fuentes Rodriguez, head coach of the Cuban boxing team, said: "Mario is our best exponent. He is an older athlete, but he's still in very good condition. He is a boxer with extraordinary class."
This, then, is the man the kid Khan must beat to truly justify the plaudits and acclaim showering down about him. Rarely can an Olympic match have been so keenly anticipated.
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