Amir Khan will face former featherweight world champion Billy Dib in Saudi Arabia on 12 July after Neeraj Goyat was forced to pull out after being injured in a car accident.
Khan was originally scheduled to take on Goyat in a bout billed as ‘Pakistan vs India’ in a WBC Pearl World Championship clash in Jeddah.
Goyat, 27, will no longer be involved however after suffering ‘severe injuries’ whole returning home from training on Tuesday night.
"We are very sad to inform that Neeraj Goyat, who was preparing for his mega fight against Amir Khan, met with a car accident last night that has caused him severe injuries on his head, face and left arm.
"He is currently in hospital and we wish him a speedy recovery," Bill Dosanjh, Promoter of the Super Boxing League, said in a statement.
Fight organisers have acted quickly to bring in a replacement however, drafting in 33-year-old Dib.
Dib was outpointed by Tevin Farmer in an IBF super-featherweight bout in Sydney last August, announcing his retirement from boxing in the aftermath.
He is set to return to the ring less than a year later, however, moving up in weight to take on Khan on less than three weeks’ notice.
Khan told BNTV: “We had some bad news today that Neeraj Goyat was in an accident in India. He is no longer able to fight on July 12 in Saudi Arabia. We have made a change in opponent, I hope Neera recovers quickly and gets fully fit again.
“Things like that just happen in boxing. Our new opponent is Billy Dib, a two-time world boxing champion. He will be coming up to fight me, like I went up to fight [Saul Alvarez] Canelo. He feels confident and he wants to fight me.”
Australia’s Dib held the IBF featherweight title from 2011 and 2013 and the IBO super-featherweight title in 2008.
