Hyderabad, Nov. 6 -- Neeraj Goyat and former UFC champion Anthony "Showtime" Pettis stood face to face for the first time today at a press conference in Hyderabad ahead of their January 23, 2027 bout, the biggest professional boxing event ever staged in India, according to an official statement.

The press conference, hosted by the Indian Pro Boxing League (IPBL) with the Indian Boxing Council (IBC) and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), was interrupted by a surprise video message from MVP co-founder Jake Paul, who used it to make his preference for the host city clear: Chennai.

"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....