Australian super bantamweight Sam Goodman has finally got his world title shot, and will take on undisputed champion Naoye Inoue in Tokyo on Christmas Eve.
The undefeated Goodman is Inoue’s mandatory challenger in the WBO ranks and has been calling out the man known in boxing circles as “Monster” for almost a year.
Goodman is ranked first by the IBF and WBO, and has a 19-0 professional record, with eight KOs.
He is ranked third in The Ring rankings and third by the independent Transnational Boxing Rankings.
The man ranked just behind Inoue, Marlon Tapales, was beaten by the Japanese fighter in a 10th round knockout last year as Inoue unified the 55kg division.
Inoue, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, is one of just three men to ever be named undisputed in two weight divisions in the four belt era alongside Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk.
The 31-year-old superstar has a 28-0 record with a whopping 25 KOs — an astonishing record in the lower weight divisions.
Naoya Inoue’s knockout percentage is extraordinary. (Getty Images: Steve Marcus)
One of those knock out victories came against Australian Jason Moloney in Las Vegas in 2020.
Goodman, 26, has already fought twice in 2024, beating Mark Schleibs by TKO in four rounds in March and winning a unanimous decision against Thachtana Luangphon in July.
Both fights took place in Wollongong, with Goodman taking a short break after beating Luangphon due to a hand injury.
However, against Inoue, Goodman will be walking into the Lions den, heading to the 15,000-capacity Ariake Arena where the Japanese sensation has won all of his last four fights by knockout.
Goodman told Fox Sports that he was happy to get a world title shot at last, but that’s not where his ambition ends.
“I haven’t worked this hard for a world title shot … I’ve worked this hard to go win all the belts,” Goodman told Fox Sports.
“That’s what I’m focused on. Have been for some time.
“We’ve had the contracts signed for a while and I have been putting in the work.”
Naoya Inoue (left) is a terrifying prospect. (Getty Images: Steve Marcus)
The Australian will head to Japan — his first fight overseas — as an enormous underdog.
“I’m not worried about what it means to be underdog, or who does and doesn’t believe in me. It’s none of my concern what others think about the fight,” he said.
“I believe I can win this fight and so does my team.
“That’s why I’m doing this. It’s all about winning this fight, and I know I can do it.”
Inoue also fought twice in 2024, beating both Luis Nery in May and TJ Doheny in September to defend all four of his belts.
He won both fights by technical knockout — his last victory not by knockout came against Nonito Donaire in 2019.
Australia currently has two reigning world champions, IBF cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia and WBC featherweight champion Skye Nicolson.
