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
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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