Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City will host British boxer Amir Khan in his next fight on 12 July, which is reported to be earning him £7 million.

British Pakistani Khan will face Neeraj Goyat from India in the first boxing match between the two countries.

Former MMA fighter Goyat is the WBC Asian Champion and was the first Indian boxer to be ranked by the WBC.

“It will be the first time a British Pakistani will fight an Indian boxer, which eventually will bring the two nations together. I’m a firm believer in sport being a great healer,” said Khan.

The 32-year-old has suggested he could be nearing the end of his career, while Goyat is hoping to use the fight to raise his profile outside of India.

“This opportunity is as big as it gets for me,” he said. “I will be carrying the hopes of 1.2bn people on my shoulders.”

Khan’s decision to fight in Saudi Arabia, which has faced calls for a sporting boycott over its human rights record, has been criticised by some fans, but Khan himself refused to be drawn into political conversations.

“I didn’t get involved in the negotiation side,” he added. “If they told me to fight on the moon… I’m one of those who will fight wherever.”

The King Abdullah Sports City hosted the Saudi Arabia’s first major boxing event in September 2018, the World Boxing Super Series final, which saw Callum Smith defeat George Groves.

The sport is growing in popularity across the Middle East, and Khan had spoken publicly about his desire to fight in the region.