The World Boxing Council’s newly-formed ‘Pearl title’ belt will be up for grabs as Amir Khan battles Neeraj Goyat in Saudi Arabia on July 12.
Khan himself confirmed the news on Friday at a press conference in Delhi to officially announced the historic clash.
The Bolton man bids to bounce back from a loss to Terence Crawford in April. The Goyat clash represents a swift return to action.
Khan v Goyat will take place at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
With the WBC firmly backing the contest, Khan stated the strap – which adds to the Silver, Gold and Diamond belts already in circulation – has been sanctioned.
“Khan v Goyat, professional boxing fight with @WBCBoxing Asia champion Neeraj Goyat to be held in Saudi Arabia, Jeddah on 12th July. We kicked off the India press conference today Delhi.
The WBC pearl title is on the line,” said Khan.
A win for Khan will put him firmly back in the mix at 147. Current champion Shawn Porter will no doubt be a future target.
INFO
British Muslim Khan has thrilled the boxing world with his exhilarating all-action style. 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. He has faced some of the very finest boxers and pound-for-pound best of his generation. They include Marcos Maidana, Zab Judah, Danny Garcia, Saul Alvarez and in his last fight Crawford.
Khan’s rival 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. He aims to 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.
