WBC Asia welterweight champion Neeraj Goyat will fight in Aberdeen next month less than two years after injuries suffered in a car crash derailed a high-profile fight with Amir Khan.
Indian star Goyat will co-headline a behind-closed-doors bill at the city’s Northern Hotel on Saturday May 29.
Aberdeen Assassin Lee McAllister will also co-headline on the bill which will be broadcast live on FITE TV and further linear and digital channels globally.
Goyat was set to face former world champion Khan in a big money televised fight at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jedda, Saudi Arabia in July 2019.
However, just days before the fight Goyat was seriously injured in a car accident while returning from training and had to withdraw from the WBC international welterweight clash.
Khan, who reportedly landed £7 million from the fight, subsequently fought late replacement Billy Dib of Australia.
Fully recovered from his injuries, Goyat made his ring return in March this year with an emphatic fourth-round stoppage of Sandeep Kumar in Panjim, India.
McAllister, who is also promoting the bill, had secured Goyat to fight in Britain in 2019, but “ripped up the contract” when the career defining shot at two-time world champion Khan came up.
McAllister said: “We had planned to bring Neeraj to the UK back in 2019, but when the opportunity to fight Amir was put on the table I just tore up the contract.
“Fighting Amir on an internationally broadcast event was a huge opportunity for Neeraj and I wasn’t going to stand in the way.
“I’m a big fan of Neeraj.”
McAllister will return to the ring in his home city having won the Ghanaian super welterweight title in Accra in March.
Goyat won the WBC Asian welterweight title with a unanimous decision defeat of Nelson Gulpe in New Delhi and went on to make two successful defences of the belt.
Asia’s Honorary Boxer of the Year in 2017, the 29-year-old was set to face Khan in a globally televised fight until the accident.
Following the car accident, a statement released by Bill Dosanjh, promoter of the Super Boxing League, confirmed Goyat suffered “severe injuries on his head, face and left arm’”.
Replacement Dib, who lost by fourth round stoppage, described the chance to fight Khan as his “real-life Rocky moment”.
McAllister said: “To say I was gutted the fight didn’t happen is an understatement as the fans world-wide would have seen just how talented Neeraj is.
“So here we are two years later and finally we are going to have Neeraj fight on one of our shows.
“Unlike when we were originally bringing him over, now our events are televised, so finally fans worldwide will get to see just what a talent he is.”
Confirmed for the card, which is billed as Let Battle Commence IV, is Aberdeen PBC/WBU International Super Lightweight Champion Nathan Beattie.
Also boxing on the bill, which is under the auspices of the British & Irish Boxing Authority, is unbeaten super-featherweight Kevin Traynor and heavyweight prospect Craig Dick, who is also undefeated.
Aberdeen heavyweight Liam Allan makes his second professional outing, while Indian featherweight Sukhdeep Singh will make his professional debut.