Amir Khan will fight Australian Billy Dib in Saudi Arabia next month after his intended opponent Neeraj Goyat was injured in a car crash.
Former world champion Khan, 32, was scheduled to take on Goyat in Jeddah on July 12, but the Indian boxer sustained serious head injuries in a car accident on Tuesday night.
Promoters Super Boxing League announced on Twitter: "It's Official!!! Amir Khan to take on Billy Dib for the WBC Pearl Championship Belt on the 12th of July 2019 at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia!!!"
Its Official!!! Amir Khan to take on Billy Dib for the WBC Pearl Championship Belt on the 12th of July 2019 at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia!!!#SuperBoxingLeague #HitHarder #KhanDib @amirkingkhan @JED_SEASON pic.twitter.com/335y54Ypsf — Super Boxing League (@SBLHitHarder) June 26, 2019
Earlier, Super Boxing League founder Bill Dosanjh told Indian Express newspaper: "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."
Khan suffered a controversial defeat in his last fight in New York when he decided not to continue after receiving a low blow from Terence Crawford.
Former WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion Khan is bidding to get his boxing career back on track after he was accused of quitting against Crawford.
OFFICIAL: @amirkingkhan vs @BillyDib set for July 12 in Jeddah 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/9gOtaEK6km — Boxing News TV (@boxingnewstv) June 26, 2019
"We had some bad news today that Neeraj Goyat was in an accident in India," Khan told BNTV.
"He is no longer able to fight on July 12 in Saudi Arabia. We have made a change in opponent, I hope Neeraj 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."
Dib, 33, a former IBO super-featherweight and IBF featherweight champion, is set to return to the ring having announced his retirement after a points defeat to Tevin Farmer in an IBF super-featherweight bout in Sydney last August.
ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'fa02c76c-addc-46c9-ba46-5bfe767f7e40');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:boxing,sport:other');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Khan to face Dib in Saudi Arabia after original opponent pulls out'});
