Vijender Singh is “scared” of me, bragged celebrated boxer Amir Khan, who is set to take on India’s Neeraj Goyat in a WBC Pearl World championship bout in Jeddah on July 12.
Khan, the British boxer of Pakistan-origin, has expressed desire to lock horns with Olympic bronze medallist Vijender a number of times but the bout has not materialised as yet.
Keen to fight an Indian, the 32-year-old two-time World Champion has agreed to switch category to clash with Goyat.
“I have always expressed my desire and tried to fight against Vijender but I think he is scared of me,” Amir said during the announcement of his bout, named ‘The Shinning Jewel’ against Goyat at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“It was time an Indian boxer fight against a world champion and I am glad that Goyat has accepted the offer. What Vijender couldn’t do, Goyat will be doing,” Khan, who will move to welterweight category from his preferred super welterweight division.
At the age of 17, Amir, who hails from Matore village of Kathua tehsil in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi, became the youngest British boxer to win an Olympic medal—a silver in 2004 Athens Games before turning professional.
Bill Dosanjh, the creator of the Super Boxing League, feels that Vijender has to raise his game by leaps and bounds to fight against a boxer like Amir.
“Vijender has to step up. He has to step up his game. Till now he has not fought any world champion boxer in his professional career,” Dosanjh said.
Goyat, who is the WBC Asia welterweight title-holder, has a record of 11 wins including two knockouts, two losses and two draws till date.
Amir said he will not take Goyat lightly as his reputation would be at stake.
“I will start training for the bout in the UK. I need to be 100 per cent ready for the fight. I have everything to lose and Goyat has everything to win,” he said.
Goyat, a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter, thanked Amir for accepting his offer to fight in his weight category.
“I always wanted to fight Amir but my condition was that he has to fight in my welterweight category. He is a true fighter as he accepted my offer,” Goyat said.
Talking about his training before facing Aamir, Goyat said, “For me the best training centre is Army Sports Institute in Pune. Before my last fight I trained there and now also I will train there before taking on Amir.”