Vijender is scared of me: British boxer Amir

New Delhi (PTI): Vijender Singh is "scared" of me, bragged celebrated boxer Amir Khan, who is set to take on India's Neeraj Goyat in a Super Boxing League exhibition bout in Jeddah on July 12.

Khan, the British boxer of Pakistan origin, has expressed desire to lock horns with Olympic bronze medallist Vijender a number of times but the bout has not materialised as yet.

Keen to fight an Indian, the 32-year-old two-time World Champion has agreed to switch category to clash with Goyat.

"I have always expressed my desire and tried to fight against Vijender but I think he is scared of me," Amir said during the announcement of his bout, named 'The Shinning Jewel' against Goyat at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

"This is an exciting challenge that I have ahead of me. It will be the first time a British Pakistani will fight an Indian boxer, which eventually will bring the two nations together. I would like to thank the Saudi government, Jeddah Seasons and General Sports Authority for giving this opportunity and I am a firm believer in sports being a great healer. Both fighters just wanna get in there and get the fight on, for me Goyat is a fighter." Khan said.

Amir's rival, Goyat defeated Mexico's Carlos Lopez Marmolejo via unanimous decision in a contest at the Danforth Music Hall earlier in April in Toronto. Goyat, who is the WBC Asia welterweight title-holder, has a record of 11 wins including two knockouts, three losses and two draws till date.

"It was time an Indian boxer fight against a world champion and I am glad that Goyat has accepted the offer. What Vijender couldn't do, Goyat will be doing," Khan, who will move to welterweight category from his preferred super welterweight division.

At the age of 17, Amir, who hails from Matore village of Kathua tehsil in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, became the youngest British boxer to win an Olympic medal -- a silver in 2004 Athens Games before turning professional.

Bill Dosanjh, the creator of the Super Boxing League, feels that Vijender has to raise his game by leaps and bounds to fight against a boxer like Amir.

"Vijender has to step up. He has to step up his game. Till now he has not fought any world champion boxer in his professional career," Dosanjh said. Goyat, who is the WBC Asia welterweight title-holder, has a record of 11 wins including two knockouts, two losses and two draws till date.

Amir said he will not take Goyat lightly as his reputation would be at stake. "I will start training for the bout in the UK. I need to be 100 per cent ready for the fight. I have everything to lose and Goyat has everything to win," he said.

Goyat, a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter, thanked Amir for accepting his offer to fight in his weight category. "I always wanted to fight Amir but my condition was that he has to fight in my welterweight category. He is a true fighter as he accepted my offer," Goyat said.

"This opportunity is as big as it gets for me. Everything that I have achieved till date wouldn't matter when I enter the ring on July 12 taking on a seasoned, established superstar in Amir. I will be carrying the hopes of 1.2bn on my shoulders who will expect me to bring the title by causing an upset," admitted Goyat.