Jake Paul Interrupts Goyat vs Pettis Hyderabad Press Conference with Video Backing for Chennai
Neeraj Goyat and Anthony “Showtime” Pettis met face to face at a press conference in Hyderabad today ahead of their 23 January 2027 bout, billed as the biggest professional boxing event ever staged in India. The event was interrupted when MVP co-founder Jake Paul appeared in a surprise video message urging that the fight be held in Chennai.
The press conference was hosted by the Indian Pro Boxing League (IPBL) alongside the Indian Boxing Council (IBC) and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP). “We at MVP are always chasing historic opportunities, and bringing this to Chennai is something I’m keen on,” Paul said in the message played on the arena screens. “We’ve done our research: around this date, 47 years ago, Muhammad Ali fought in that same venue. This would be the biggest comeback for Indian boxing in 47 years.”
Muhammad Ali’s exhibition at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in January 1980 was cited during the video as the last time a fighter of global stature stepped into a ring in the city, and organisers said Goyat vs Pettis would be the first world-class professional boxing card in Chennai since that exhibition.
“Jake’s message tells you how seriously the world is taking this fight,” said Akshar Madhavaram, CEO and Co-Founder, IPBL. “Chennai has the history, and all three cities have made a strong case. We will announce the city soon. What is certain is the date — 23 January 2027 — and that India has never seen a boxing night like this one.”
Goyat, the first Indian boxer signed to MVP and a winner on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson card watched in 108 million homes on Netflix, addressed the crowd in Hyderabad. “Last time the world watched me from Texas. This time my people watch me at home. I respect Anthony, he is a legend of the cage — but this is a boxing ring, and in a boxing ring in India, nobody beats me,” he said.
Anthony Pettis, introduced at the press conference as a former UFC lightweight champion and a co-owner of IPBL, delivered his own message. “I’m not here as a visitor — I’m an owner in this league. India has the fans and the fighters; it hasn’t had the platform. Neeraj has earned this, but I’ve fought world champions for fifteen years. On 23 January he finds out what that means,” Pettis said.
A representative identified as Vivek from the Indian Boxing Council confirmed regulatory details for the card. “Every bout on this card is IBC-sanctioned to the WBC standard. Professional boxing in India has lacked a stage and a structure; this event gives it both. We have fighters on this undercard who can be world champions within two years.” The pair are scheduled to meet again inside the cage at the Indian Fight League event in Hyderabad tonight and will box for a second time on 14 November at the PFL event in Dubai.
IPBL said Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Chennai remain in contention to host the card, and that the host city, venue, ticketing and broadcast partners will be announced together in the coming weeks.
