Sam Goodman Puts Undisputed Bout With Naoya Inoue At Massive Risk
Sam Goodman was already assured of his shot at undisputed champion Naoya Inoue later this year, but the super-bantamweight contender is about to risk it all.
Goodman (18-0-0 8 KO) is the WBO and IBF’s mandatory challenger to Inoue, who holds all four belts in the 122lbs division. The Australian even entered the ring to confront Inoue and demand his shot following the Japanese star’s brilliant sixth-round stoppage of Luis Nery in Tokyo on May 6. Inoue duly obliged and insisted Goodman will get his opportunity towards the end of the year.
Yet, instead of biding his time and protecting his mandatory status, or even staying sharp in the meantime by fighting a lower-level opponent, Goodman will return to the ring on Wednesday against the dangerous Thachtana Luangphon.
There may not be any belts on the line at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia, but Goodman’s hopes of fighting for them could vanish if his unbeaten Thai opponent secures a surprise victory.
Goodman ‘Likes To Stay Active’
“It was always on the cards, and it looked like there was an opportunity for me to fight for the world title next. That’s pretty much the reason behind it,” Goodman said in an interview with The Ring Magazine.
“As you’ve seen over the last 12 months, I like to stay active. I train year-round. And after the last fight as well, I thought it would be another good test to fight someone who was world-class and get back in there with a world-level opponent before I take on the likes of Inoue.”
Plenty of what Goodman says makes perfect sense. Indeed, the best way to prepare for a pound-for-pound star like Inoue is to get more competitive rounds under the belt. Easing past a journeyman just to stay ring-ready will have minimal benefit, so a competitive fight against the Luangphon (25-0-1 15 KO) could be a masterstroke.
And Goodman is an active fighter who likes to ride momentum. Apart from the pandemic-interrupted year of 2020, the Australian has boxed at least three times every year of his career. He has only fought once so far this year – a fourth-round TKO of Mark Schleibs in March – so waiting until December to fight Inoue would be a disadvantage.
A victory over Luangphon would be considered a brilliant move on Goodman’s part. The Thai is a powerful operator with a big right hand and a strong left hook – weapons he will no doubt be looking to unload against Goodman. Luangphon’s power was likely a key reason why Goodman wanted him as an opponent, given the strength and power of Inoue.
Luangphon A Dangerous And Unnecessary Risk?
And yet, it seems like a massive and unnecessary risk. Beat Luangphon and Goodman retains his position as mandatory challenger; lose and he finds himself knocked down the order of fighters vying to take on the champion. He has nothing to gain and everything to lose.
“It’s not about skills deteriorating or anything, it’s just about building and building on what I’ve already done and having a hard hit-out before I reach the biggest fight of my life. That’s really what this is about,” said Goodman. “It’s another good, tough test; getting through it and passing with flying colors before moving on to the biggest fight of my life.”
What doesn’t quite add up is that Inoue is preparing to fight again in September, according to his American co-promoter Bob Arum. The Top Rank president told Fox Sports Australia in May: “I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with Sam this week in Tokyo and was very impressed with him and his demeanor. So whether he fights Inoue in September or December, I don’t know. But he certainly will be fighting Inoue this year.”
If Goodman will “certainly” fight Inoue this year, then why was the fight not made for September, instead of the Australian risking his mandatory challenger status while he waits? If scheduling doesn’t line up so a challenger like Goodman needs to take a fight in the meantime, then there’s an argument over whether his mandatory status should be protected.
But in the unforgiving world of professional boxing, safety nets like this don’t usually exist. Goodman will hope his decision to fight Luangphon doesn’t backfire.
