Bruce Seldon Jnr, the son of former heavyweight titleholder Bruce Seldon Snr, long ago became accustomed to being associated with his father’s accomplishments. But he’s motivated to make some of his own.

Seldon Jnr will face fellow unbeaten heavyweight Josh Popper on June 13 at the Tropicana Atlantic City Showroom in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Seldon, 8-0 (6 KOs), might share his father’s name, but his professional journey has yet to draw the same attention as that of his father. Seldon Snr defeated Tony Tucker in 1995 to win the WBA heavyweight title, then lost it two fights later to Mike Tyson. The latter fight is often remembered for happening on the same night that popular recording artist Tupac Shakur was murdered in Las Vegas.

Obviously, because Seldon Jnr shares the name of his father, comparisons will always be made.

“When it comes to separating myself from my dad, I tuned that out a while ago,” Seldon Jnr told BoxingScene. “Of course I am going to be attached to my dad, and I am not ashamed of that attachment to me. But at the same time, I have to make my own name.”

The younger Seldon, now 31, turned professional at 29 with no amateur bouts. He spent most of his young adulthood as a football player, leading to his playing for Rowan University and receiving mini-camp invitations to the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts.

Seldon initially didn’t have Popper on his radar, but after his past couple of fights, he began to hear rumblings.

“He was asking for it, so here we are,” Seldon Jnr said. “Being 8-0, soon to be 9-0, it was about that time to take a step up [in competition].”

The bout has a compelling arc, especially for fight fans in the Tri-State Area. Both fighters have ties to the region. Seldon was born in Atlantic City and now lives in Smithville, New Jersey. Popper, 32, was born in Somers Point, New Jersey, but now resides in New York City and is best known for dating Madonna.

Then there is the experience (or lack thereof) for both fighters.

Popper, 6-0 (6 KOs), has amateur experience, having won notable New York amateur tournaments in 2023. Still, his biggest win as a professional came in April, when he defeated a 45-year-old veteran, Rydell Booker.

In contrast, Seldon, even without an amateur career, has taken the tougher professional route of the two. In November, Seldon defeated Jose Medina, who now has a record of 8-3-1 (3 KOs), and is a quality opponent on the regional level.

“I don’t think the margin of experience is that much more vast when it comes to Popper, specifically,” Seldon said. “I know what it feels like to push myself and go through a hard fight. We don’t know how he is going to react to that. We know how I am going to react to that.”

Despite being on a regional card, the bout has generated building anticipation, with two unbeaten fighters in their early 30s – both of them with an interesting backstory – risking their perfect records.

“The fight has a chance to fill the house up,” Seldon said. “I am part of what will be a very good night of boxing for Atlantic City.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.