‘This One Is for Him’ – Anthony Pettis Explains Personal Stakes of Neeraj Goyat Fight in India

This time, the promotional heads are roping in former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis for a global boxing show in India against hometown hero Neeraj Goyat. 

With the venue still to be announced, the two are set to headline Goyat vs. Pettis: The Indian Uprising on Jan. 23. Goyat enters the matchup riding a five-fight winning streak, but Pettis has more than just a boxing challenge; he has personal motivation on his mind as he prepares for his third professional bout in the ring.

Anthony Pettis Has More Than a Boxing Match on His Mind

The 39-year-old did not have to look far for a reason to make this fight personal. His younger brother, Sergio Pettis, competed in Hyderabad in March 2025. However, the night went awry when he lost a unanimous decision to India's Sabari Jaishankar.

Now, Pettis is heading to the same country with an opportunity to answer that result in his own way. That said, the circumstances are different this time around, and the two brothers compete in different combat sports. 

Reflecting on the upcoming matchup, the former MMA star made his intentions clear, stating, “I have seen what Indian fighters can do, and Neeraj is the best of them. That is who I want. I have thought a lot about Sergio’s loss. This one is for him, and I am coming to win.”

Dissecting Neeraj Goyat

For the unversed, Goyat is not an unfamiliar name being brought in to give a former MMA champion a comfortable introduction to boxing. The 34-year-old has spent more than a decade competing professionally and has established himself as one of India's top pugilists.

Meanwhile, Pettis rose to fame in 2010 when he won the WEC lightweight championship before capturing UFC gold three years later, defeating Benson Henderson on both occasions  However, his boxing record stands at 1-1.

Although he earned a majority-decision victory over boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. at Gamebred Boxing 4 in April 2023, he lost a decision to Chris Avila on the boxing card featuring Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal. The Goyat matchup will be a chance for him to return to the ring with something meaningful at stake. 

Goyat Looks to Defend Home Turf as MVP Targets Landmark Indian Boxing Event

Goyat enters the contest with a 21-4-2 professional record, which comprises of nine knockouts. A former WBC Asia champion, he became the first Indian boxer to be ranked by the World Boxing Council and has spent much of his career competing outside his home country.

In 2024, he joined MVP and gained wider international attention that November, when he defeated Brazilian social media personality Whindersson Nunes by unanimous decision on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson undercard. 

For Goyat, the upcoming bout is significant, as it will be his first major fight at home. 

“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. This time the card is ours,” the Indian said. “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. I am not giving that night away.”

The contest is set to take place at welterweight over six rounds and is presented by IPBL Boxing, with the Indian Boxing Council sanctioning the event. 

MVP co-founders Paul and Nakisa Bidarian also see the matchup as a chance to break into the massive Indian market and give Indian boxing a bigger international platform. In a joint statement, they said they signed Goyat because they believed he could become a global boxing star and help put Indian boxing on the world stage.

Other Fights on the Card

In addition, the card is expected to feature other leading Indian boxers, including Akshay Chahal, Faizan Anwar, Pavan Kalyan, Ritesh Singh, and Laldinsanga Ramlawt. MVP and IPBL are billing the event as the biggest card in Indian boxing history, with the full lineup still to come.