The $30,000 snub behind the heated rivalry between Sam Goodman and Mark Schleibs

Sam Goodman and Mark Schleibs will finally settle a long-running rivalry on Wednesday, at the WIN Entertainment Centre, in Wollongong.

Sam Goodman takes on Mark Schleibs in Wollongong this week. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Sam Goodman’s team has confirmed the $30,000 payday Mark Schleibs allegedly knocked back to fight ‘The Ghost’ three years ago.

The pair will finally fight each other in Wollongong on Wednesday night, but they have a long simmering rivalry dating back to when Goodman was struggling to find fights in Australia during Covid.

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It was around that time that Goodman’s team gave Schleibs a generous offer, which amounted to a figure of around $30,000 to fight, including a $15,000 win bonus.

Schleibs, who was coming off a loss to Brock Jarvis at the time, knocked it back.

It became an issue last week when Goodman taunted Schleibs about refusing the fight and the payday.

“Coming out of Covid, it was no secret I was struggling to get a fight,” Goodman told this masthead. “You pretty much had to fight people domestically.

“Mark got offered the fight, and he had a win incentive in that contract as well.

“And some of that was coming out of my team’s pocket too, so I know it wasn’t a fake contract.

“My team agreed to put that money in for the win bonus if he could pull it off.”

Goodman celebrates with his team last year. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Trainer Luke Phipps confirmed that Goodman’s team often had to pay opponents to fight the rising star.

“We were paying our way against Daniel Carr, against Nort Beauchamp, and reached out (to Schleibs’ team) trying to get a fight,” Phipps said.

“If they won, there was a $15,000 bonus. They didn’t take it. They didn’t fight.

“He knocked that back, then went inactive for 30 months.”

Goodman now says Schleibs will be making a fraction of that amount.

“He knocked back over double of what he’s getting for this fight,” Goodman said. “It just shows that he loves the attention and the glitz and glamour of being on a No Limit fight card more than he actually loves fighting.

“He’s not doing it for money. He still doesn’t have a pot to piss in, he just loves having the camera in his face.

“It’s crazy what he does this sport for and the motivating factors behind why he wants to fight.”

Sam Goodman and Mark Schleibs have almost come to blows during an open workout in Sydney today. 👀#GoodmanSchleibspic.twitter.com/PvmMHcHs4J

— No Limit Boxing (@NoLimit_Boxing) March 7, 2024

Schleibs though, says Goodman’s team is living in the past, and says his willingness to fight in Goodman’s home town proves he isn’t worried.

“They’re bringing up the past. Who was doing anything after Covid? Let’s be honest,” he fumed. “I’m not worried about what they say or what they’re trying to bring up in the past.

“All I know is I took the fight straight away, I said yes.

“I’m fighting him in his hometown. How dumb do they sound saying ‘you dodged the fight’ but I’m coming into his hometown, now, when you’re number one in the world.

“It’s a joke.”

A month after Goodman slapped Schleibs at their press conference, the pair came face-to-face again last week.

And it nearly turned physical again when Goodman urged Schleibs to step into the ring while he was conducting a workout.

Schleibs has gotten under Goodman’s skin during the build up. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“He tried to bluff me and said ‘come in the ring’ so I did and he shit himself,” Schleibs told this masthead. “He looks like he’s scared.

“I think he’s struggling to make the weight. In previous videos, he’s looked like a welterweight, but we have to make the super bantamweight limit of 55.3.

“He saw my physique and he must be shocked at how big I am. It’s gonna be hard work for him. Hopefully he makes it and we fight.”

When asked for his prediction for how the fight finishes, Schleibs used an adapted phrase from Muhammad Ali.

“Goodman floats like a butterfly and stings like a butterfly,” he said. “It ends by knockout.

“I’m either getting knocked out, or he’s getting knocked out. Someone’s going home with a sore head, put it that way.”

Originally published as The $30,000 snub behind the heated rivalry between Sam Goodman and Mark Schleibs