Boxing superstar Amir Khan to fight in Saudi Arabia in a blockbuster battle against Neeraj Goyat

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)Boxing icon and global sporting phenomenon Amir Khan will make history when he goes up against the formidable Neeraj Goyat in a fight taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday, 12th July in 2019.

Two-Time World Champion & Olympic Silver Medalist “King” Khan from Bolton, England, of Pakistani heritage, will face India’s national boxing hero Neeraj Goyat, the WBC Asian Champion, in a massive showdown with a world title on the line. Both fighters will be exchanging blows, vying for World Boxing Championship (WBC) Pearl Belt. The WBC Pearl Belt is a very special championship belt second only to the Floyd Mayweather Connor McGreggor Money Belt. Mauricio Sulaiman, President WBC has been hailed as the person who made it possible. The WBC Pearl Belt will be showcased at the event’s London press conference to be held in the upcoming days.

As the biggest Muslim personality in sport since Muhammad Ali, Khan will become the first high profile Muslim boxer to showcase his skills at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. As a devout practitioner of the Muslim faith and sporting role model, Khan’s presence in Saudi Arabia promises to transcend cultural boundaries, capture the imaginations of the millions of citizens living in the MENA region and truly reach a global audience.

Commenting Amir Khan said, “This is a fantastic and exciting opportunity to headline in Saudi Arabia and I would like to thank HRH Mohammed bin Salman and the Government for the honour of allowing us to fight in The Kingdom.  For the first time a British-Pakistani boxer will fight an Indian boxer and it will truly bring together the two nations in a sporting contest.”

British Muslim Khan has thrilled the boxing world with his exhilarating all-action style since he burst onto the world stage at just 17 when he heroically battled his way to a Silver medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.  In a stunning 38-fight professional career, Khan has become a Two-Time World Champion and has faced some of the very finest boxers and pound-for-pound best of his generation, including Marcos Maidana, Zab Judah, Danny Garcia, Saul Alvarez and in his last fight Terence Crawford.

Khan’s rival Neeraj Goyat is a phenomenon in his home country.  Hailing from Chandigarh, Goyat is a pioneer in helping to establish professional boxing in India.  He left behind a highly successful amateur career to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer and show the world that India can be a new super-power in world boxing.  To that end he has fought in numerous countries, including China, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico and Canada and currently holds the WBC Asian crown.

Neeraj Goyat said, “I have been a pioneer for boxing in India and promoting the sport around the world for my country and I’m thrilled to break new ground by facing a great name like Amir Khan in Saudi Arabia for the whole world to see a real sporting moment in history.  I have a country of 1.2billion people who will be supporting me and I will be looking to repay them by bringing the title back with me.”

Officially endorsed by the Saudi General Sports Authority, this fight of the century fits into the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Strategy, which was launched in April 2016. It is also is an important event taking place during Jeddah Seasons that will run from 8 June-19 July that aims to transform the Kingdom into one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. 

The hype leading up to the match is intense as the world waits in anticipation to witness these two titans clash. The momentum of this hype will be taken to a bold new height when Amir Khan steps between the ropes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.