Aussie Sam Goodman to fight boxing ‘monster’ Naoya Inoue for world title

Another Australian will fight for a world boxing title after it was confirmed Sam Goodman will take on one of the sport’s biggest names.

Australia’s Sam Goodman will finally get his chance to fight for a world title when he takes on Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue later this year.

On Thursday it was confirmed Goodman would take on undisputed super bantamweight world champion Inoue in Tokyo on Christmas Eve.

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Goodman (19-0, 8KOs) has long been calling for a shot at Inoue, even earning himself the nickname ‘Mr Mandatory’ as he climbed the world rankings.

The undefeated Aussie will go in as a massive underdog against Inoue, who is still at the peak of his powers and holds all four super bantamweight belts (WBA, WBO, WBC IBF) as well as the Ring Magazine title.

Inoue, 31, possesses immense punching power, with 25 of his 28 career wins coming via knockout.

Along with Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk, Inoue is one of only three male boxers to become undisputed champion in two weight classes in the four-belt era.

Naoya Inoue and Sam Goodman.

Goodman has been the mandatory IBF challenger since June 2023. The 26-year-old from Wollongong has fought four times since to stay active and fresh for what is undoubtedly the biggest fight of his career.

Goodman is aiming to join cruiserweight Jai Opetaia and featherweight Skye Nicolson as Australia’s current boxing world champions.

Tim Tszyu, who is in the same No Limit promotion stable as Goodman, lost to Russia’s Bakhram Murtazaliev last weekend in a crushing blow to the Aussie super welterweight’s hopes of becoming a unified world champion.

Goodman has fought twice year, with his most recent victory coming via unanimous decision over Chainoi Worawut in July.

The world title fight will also be Goodman’s first professional fight on foreign shores.