Khan is comfortable, for now, in the company of the extended family that cheers him from ringside and is so attentive to him at social functions. What he doesn't need is the growing band of supporters whose overt chanting and gesturing have cloaked recent boxing shows with a cloud of threatening menace.
Concern for what might have happened had some of these people turned up ticketless at tomorrow's sold-out ABA quarter-finals in the East Anglian backwater of Gorleston was given as one reason why Khan was withdrawn from the tournament.
In that respect, Khan's people got it right.
The potential for a public relations disaster, unfairly tainting Khan's character, was real. Those charged with shaping the fighter's future - be it his family, his present management, the ABA, or professional promoters - need to be aware of how life's low blows can affect a career.
Frank Maloney, whose management skills helped guide Lennox Lewis to the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world, believes now is the time for Khan to turn professional.
He explained: "It would take some of the pressure off him, because at the moment amateur boxing in this country is all about Amir Khan. It's hard for a young lad like him to carry all that responsibility.
"If he became a professional boxer with the right people looking after him he would be protected, learning his trade out of the limelight on the undercard.
"We've seen amateurs make a successful transition to the professional game, like Lennox Lewis, Scott Harrison, Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe. They've gone all the way to the top.
"But we've also seen those who've tried to do it their own way, like David Haye and Audley Harrison, and their careers haven't developed as they should have done considering their potential.
"Harrison was our highest profile amateur heavyweight, winning a gold medal in a British vest, and where is he today? Having the right people around you is like having six numbers come up on the lottery as opposed to just three."
Khan does have qualified specialists looking after some of his interests, such as law firm Davies Arnold Cooper. But he could be exposed by advice from well-meaning but inexperienced family and friends.
Maloney said: "It took me years to learn how to deal with athletes, because they are a different breed. They become superstars and when that happens you have to know how to handle them.
"To maintain his high profile when he makes the transition to the professionals, he must put the right people around him.
"He can keep his present people, but he has to listen to those with a proven track record. He's got such a bright future ahead of him. It would be a shame if it all went wrong."
