Dragons keen observers as Sam Goodman puts finishing touches on training camp
As a wiry young hooker, Sam Goodman had a dream of one day wearing the Red V. Instead, the world title hopeful had a few curious Dragons players watching his training camp.
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Sam Goodman vividly remembers spending cold winter nights with his dad standing on the hill in Wollongong watching his beloved Dragons.
As a wiry young hooker back then, it was his dream to one day wear the Red V in the NRL.
Fast forward 15 years and the now 25-year-old was the one in action on Wednesday while a handful of St George Illawarra players, including star playmaker Ben Hunt, forward Jaydn Su’A and coach Shane Flanagan, watched Goodman apply the finishing touches at his training camp.
Goodman went eight hard rounds with rising star Ahmed Reda in sweltering conditions before his headline bout against Zhong Liu (19-0) on December 15 at The Star casino.
He is on the verge of fighting for a world title but it was still a pinch-yourself moment having his favourite childhood team watching him train.
“I grew up going with my old boy to watch the Dragons play and I still remember a lot of night games standing on the hill,” he said. “It was a big part of my childhood growing up.
“When I was playing footy, (making the NRL) was my dream but once I started boxing the dream shifted.”
Goodman has maintained close ties with boyhood club Albion Park.
The Sea Eagles even hosted a few of his early fights at their club rooms and he regularly makes the long journey from his training base on the Central Coast to the Illawarra to watch first grade play.
New Dragons coach Shane Flanagan watched from ringside as Goodman, who Johnny Lewis calls the fittest fighter he’s seen since Jeff Fenech, got his rounds in.
“He’s a Wollongong boy and the Dragons are entrenched in Wollongong – it’s a big part of our home,” Flanagan said. “We came down to support him for his big fight.”
The stakes could hardly be higher for Goodman.
Ranked No.1 at super-bantamweight with the WBO and IBF, he’s in line for a world title shot next year.
That shot could come against the fearsome Naoya Inoue if the Japanese great becomes undisputed world champion when he fights WBA and IBF champion Marlon Tapales on December 26.
It’s believed Inoue will move up to featherweight if he wins, leaving Goodman in the perfect spot to contend for a vacant belt.
Although, Goodman isn’t looking too far ahead because the undefeated Liu will be standing in his way next week.
“We’ll look to deal with that once I get through this test and then we’ll see what’s what,” he said.
“There’s still so much up in the air with Inoue and then who gets the first crack, so I won’t put my head in the clouds worrying about it too much.
“I’ve got Liu next week and he’s 19-0. He’s a southpaw with plenty of tricks so he’ll be very tricky early on and will be a different puzzle to work out.
“He’s a formidable fighter.”
Originally published as Dragons keen observers as Sam Goodman puts finishing touches on training camp
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