Legendary trainer Johnny Lewis declares Sam Goodman will be Australia’s next boxing world champion

He is ranked Australia’s No.1 pound-for-pound fighter ahead of Tim Tszyu and Jai Opetaia. Now Sam Goodman is ready to conquer the world ahead of his Fox Sports main event debut.

“He doesn’t have a girlfriend. He is married to boxing.”

Legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis has declared Sam Goodman will be Australia’s next world champion and likened his work ethic and hunger to that of Hall of Fame great Jeff Fenech.

It is a measure of Goodman’s ability that the globally renowned BoxRec website has installed the Albion Park pugilist as Australia’s No.1 pound-for-pound fighter ahead of world champions Jai Opetaia, Tim Tszyu and Jason Moloney.

Now Goodman (16-0, 7KO) can make another statement when he takes on China’s Zhong Liu (19-0, 7KO) in a battle of two unbeaten super bantamweights at The Star casino in Sydney on Friday night.

Legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis says Sam Goodman is world-champion material.

It will be Goodman’s main-event debut on the final Fox Sports-No Limit card of the year, which will also feature a domestic blockbuster between Queensland super featherweight sensation Liam Wilson and Jackson England.

If anyone knows world-championship pedigree, it is Lewis.

The 79-year-old helped train six world champions, including Fenech and Kostya Tszyu, and is in awe of the Goodman spirit that suffocates his rivals into submission.

“There’s no reason he can’t be our next world champion,” Lewis said.

“Like Tim Tszyu, Sammy improves with every fight.

“His hunger is incredible. I get the same feeling of fitness with Sam that Jeff (Fenech) had.

“I will never see another Jeff Fenech as long as I live but Sam’s fitness is extraordinary.

“If you are not a stayer, you can’t win the Melbourne Cup and win world titles.

“This kid will always be there in the championship rounds. I like what he brings, he is a great package with all the tools to make it to the top.”

The 25-year-old is ranked No.1 with the WBO and IBF and victory over Liu will set up Goodman for his maiden world-title shot around July next year.

Lewis was blown away by Goodman’s desire, skill and competitive fire after watching him in three consecutive sparring sessions against Australia’s Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Harry Garside last year.

“I first watched Sam closely sparring with Harry,” Lewis said.

“Harry got the better of him in their first spar, then they came back the next week and Sam suddenly got the edge on Harry.

“Then they had a third spar and Sam was in complete control, even though Harry was the bigger guy.

“That’s how good Sammy Goodman is.

Lewis said Goodman was outstanding in sparring against Australian Olympian Harry Garside (right).

“He not only has a great boxing IQ, he can work the body on the inside or be a speedster from the outside.

“Sammy is a top-10 fighter at the moment and it’s only a matter of time before he fights for a world title.”

Goodman has a perfect 3-0 record this year after disposing of highly rated trio TJ Doheny, Ra’eese Aleem and Miguel Flores, and is eyeing an emphatic stoppage of Liu to send a chilling warning to his world-title rivals.

“Sam Goodman is married to boxing,” his manager Peter Mitrevski said. “He doesn’t have a girlfriend. His life and his wife is boxing.

“We’re not saying Sam is better than Tim Tszyu or Jai but he is certainly up there with them.

“In time he will climb the mountain as well and I truly believe he will be our next world champion.

“The Dragons NRL squad came to watch Sam spar last week and Ben Hunt, one of the best players in the NRL, watched Sam spar and couldn’t believe his fitness.

“He said, ‘How fit is this bloke, he is doing round eight like it’s round one’.

“Sam is respected by American boxing people, they all know he is the real deal and can fight.

“Sam’s trainer Joel Keegan is brilliant and the gym he trains at is called Complete Boxing.

“That sums up Sam ... his lifestyle is Complete Boxing.”

Originally published as Legendary trainer Johnny Lewis declares Sam Goodman will be Australia’s next boxing world champion