A matchup that should feature some sensational highlights, Naoya Inoue is set to defend his undisputed super bantamweight title for the third time later this month. This time, the champion is set to face the undefeated IBF and WBO mandatory challenger, Sam Goodman, in Tokyo. For regular readers of this space, Inoue’s exploits are well-documented. As of this article’s writing, he is the first and only boxer to win the undisputed championship at Super Bantamweight, having held all four major world titles since 2023 and was named the boxer of the year by multiple outlets last year. Meanwhile, his opponent is no slouch as he is currently ranked as the third-best active super bantamweight by The Ring and TBRB. With an undefeated record of 19-0, with eight knockouts, the challenger will provide the champion a stiff test.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these combatants, a predicted winner in this stellar boxing matchup, and also some additional notes from SBS.
A boxer who needs little introduction, he has held multiple world championships in four weight classes and is one of only three male boxers in history to become the undisputed champion in two weight classes in the “four-belt era.” Known for his amazing knockout power, Inoue has a current professional record of 28-0 with 25 knockouts. In his last matchup against TJ Doheny, he scored another impressive. Per one report, Inoue successfully retained his undisputed title by stopping the challenger with a powerful body shot past the halfway point of the bout. More specifically, during the seventh round of the fight, the champion landed heavy body shots on Doheny, causing him to recoil from pain and limp away from Inoue. He then dropped to one knee, prompting referee Bence Kovacs to wave the fight off and declare Inoue the victor.
In his prior three fights, he has had varying degrees of success against his opponents. This of course includes a string of nine-straight knockout victories since his unanimous decision victory over Nonito Donaire in November 2019. Additionally, in his outing prior to squaring off with Doheny, Inoue crushed Luis Nery in the sixth round of their matchup albeit with some adversity earlier in the fight. Despite suffering the first knockdown of his professional career in the opening round, Inoue won the fight by a sixth-round knockout.
In terms of popularity, this fight against Nery set the record for the highest peak viewership in Japan’s Amazon Prime Video history, surpassing the 2023 World Baseball Classic finals between Japan and the United States. After this fight, Inoue was again ranked as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.
Coming into this fight, Goodman is rated as one of the top challengers in the division and a fantastic athlete at that. In his last fight against Chainoi Worawut, he scored a unanimous decision victory over his opponent at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre in Australia. For this bout, Goodman prevailed in another wide-margin unanimous decision and fought through a left-hand injury sustained in the sixth round, sources have said.
In the prior fight against Mark Schleibs actually held at the same venue, Goodman scored an emphatic TKO victory over this opponent in the fourth round of the fight. In addition to posting an undefeated record, the Australian also faced Doheny last year in a stellar bout. After defeating Jason Cooper to defend his WBO Oriental belt, the Australian squared off against his most challenging opponent at the time, the former IBF world champion, Doheny. This matchup was for Goodman’s WBO Oriental and IBF Inter-continental super bantamweight titles where Goodman would win via a lopsided decision in this stellar matchup. After that, the Australian would go on to tangle with the former WBA Interim super bantamweight champion Ra’eese Aleem in an IBF final eliminator match in June of last year. As one source noted, despite one judge making a “head-scratching” score of 116-112 for Aleem, Goodman still won the bout.
In what should be a great battle on Christmas Eve, take Inoue to again score the win here. The champion has had few opponents slow him down, and while Goodman presents some challenges as an undefeated fighter, Inoue has just been too dominant to bet against. However, this bout should be closer than some of Inoue’s previous fights given the impressive body of work of his opponent.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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