NEW DELHI, May 22 : Seasoned Indian professional boxer Neeraj Goyat will square off against Brazilian Whindersson Nunes as part of the under-card for the much-anticipated showdown between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on July 20 in Arlington, Texas.
The bout between Goyat and Nunes will be a six-round super middleweight fight.
The main event is an eight-round heavyweight clash between Paul and the legendary Tyson, alongside the women’s boxing rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for the undisputed super lightweight world title, to be contested over 10 rounds.
The 57-year-old Tyson is attempting a comeback nearly two decades after ending his professional career during which he became a world champion. Paul, besides being a boxer, is also a popular youtuber.
Goyat, with a record of 18 wins from 24 fights (8 KOs), is a three-time WBC Asia titleholder (2015, 2016, and 2017). He was named “Honorary Boxer of the Year” in 2017 by WBC Asia. The clash against Nunes will be his debut with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and will be telecast live on Netflix.
“I couldn’t be more excited to make my MVP debut on what promises to be the biggest boxing event in history,” said Goyat in a press release.
“With millions of fans back home in India watching my every move, I’m not just fighting for myself; I’m fighting to make history and make my country proud. Thank you to Nakisa and the entire MVP team and of course Netflix for this opportunity to shine on the biggest stage imaginable,” he added.
Nunes has a boxing record of 2-2-1 (1 KO).
With over 100 million followers across social platforms, including 59.5 million on Instagram and 44.6 million on YouTube, Nunes is a significant figure in both in the digital and boxing world.
He is training under coaches Diego Rodrigues and Caio Franco, alongside Olympic medalist Esquiva Falcao, for the upcoming fight.
“I grew up watching big names in boxing, so having the opportunity to be part of this card and challenge myself in this sport is an honor,” said Nunes.
“As I’ve said on other occasions, boxing is more than just a fight: it’s an art that requires a lot of technique, timing, and strategy. I have been preparing myself daily with my coaches to present my best version of a fighter in Texas and, once again, defend and make my country proud.”
Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, said they excited about the global appeal of this event.
“By featuring two more international stars in Neeraj Goyat and Whindersson Nunes, alongside the rest of our historic card, we’re strategically supplementing Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 to drive patriotic engagement with the event from two of the biggest countries in the world,” they said in a joint statement. (PTI)