TLDR
- Anthony Pettis will fight Neeraj Goyat in a six-round boxing match at 154 pounds on January 23, 2027 in India
- The fight seeks to avenge Pettis’ brother Sergio, who lost to Indian boxer Sabari Jaishankar in March 2025
- Goyat holds a 21-4-2 boxing record and is a former WBC Asia champion on a four-fight win streak
- Pettis is 1-1 in professional boxing after winning his debut against Roy Jones Jr. but losing to Chris Avila
- The event will be held in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, or Chennai with a decision expected in November
Sources: sherdog.com | fightmag.com | nyfights.com
Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis will face Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat in a six-round boxing match on January 23, 2027. Most Valuable Promotions announced the matchup on Wednesday.
The fight will take place at super welterweight, with both fighters competing at 154 pounds. The event is titled “Goyat vs. Pettis: The Indian Uprising” and will be sanctioned by the Indian Boxing Council.
🇮🇳 INDIA STAND UP
Neeraj Goyat returns home for one of the biggest fights of his career as he takes on former UFC Lightweight World Champion Anthony Pettis in a six round super welterweight showdown at 154 lbs. 🥊🔥
It all goes down Saturday, January 23, 2027 as part of the… pic.twitter.com/Z4X5GNyIrk
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) October 14, 2026
Three cities are being considered to host the event: Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Chennai. A final decision on the location is expected to be announced in November.
Personal Stakes for Pettis Family
The matchup carries special meaning for the Pettis family. Anthony’s younger brother, Sergio Pettis, lost a unanimous decision to Indian boxer Sabari Jaishankar in Hyderabad in March 2025.
“I have thought a lot about Sergio’s loss,” Anthony Pettis said. “This one is for him, and I am coming to win.”
Pettis added that he wants to face the best Indian competition available. “I have seen what Indian fighters can do, and Neeraj is the best of them,” he said.
Fighter Backgrounds and Records
Goyat brings a professional boxing record of 21 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws into the fight. Nine of his victories came by knockout.
The 34-year-old from Haryana is a former WBC Asia champion who has fought internationally for more than a decade. He joined MVP in 2024 and defeated Brazilian influencer Whindersson Nunes by unanimous decision on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson undercard.
Goyat’s most recent fight was a points victory over Yessin Koulali in August 2026. He currently rides a four-fight winning streak.
Pettis holds a professional boxing record of 1 win and 1 loss. The 39-year-old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, won his boxing debut against former world champion Roy Jones Jr. by majority decision at Gamebred Boxing 4 in April 2023.
His last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Chris Avila in July 2024. Pettis also competed in MMA for many years, compiling a record of 25 wins and 14 losses.
Pettis captured the WEC lightweight championship in 2010 before winning the UFC lightweight title in 2013. He became known as one of the most skilled strikers in mixed martial arts history.
Goyat expressed excitement about fighting in his home country. “I have fought in China, in Thailand, in America and in the UK, and every time I was the Indian on somebody else’s card,” he said. “This time the card is ours.”
He thanked MVP and co-founder Nakisa Bidarian for helping bring the event to India. “Anthony is a real champion and I respect everything he has done, but I have waited my whole career to fight a name like this in front of my own people,” Goyat said.
The undercard will feature several Indian boxers including lightweight Akshay Chahal, welterweights Faizan Anwar and K Pavan Kalyan, light heavyweight Ritesh Singh, and bantamweight Laldinsanga Laldinsanga. Broadcast details and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
