Naoya Inoue vs. Sam Goodman | ESPN - OFF

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Speaking with Boxing News, legendary promoter Bob Arum admitted that he is ‘working on’ a clash between Inoue and Nakatani, before revealing that it would take place in three fights’ time – meaning Inoue’s move to featherweight is unlikely to happen next year.

“We’re working on it [Inoue-Nakatani],”

“Hopefully, they both keep winning. And it will be the biggest fight in the history of boxing in Japan.”

“It’d be the hottest ticket ever for boxing in Japan,”

“The hope is Inoue fights in December, and then we bring him over to the United States in April, maybe on the same card as Nakatani. And then have them fight each other in the Tokyo Dome in the biggest fight in the history of Japan.”

Official confirmation of Inoue-Goodman is expected tomorrow, with WBO bantamweight champion Yoshiki Takei rumoured to be defending his title in the highlight of the undercard for the Christmas Eve event.

[Boxing Prospect]

Takei double with Inoue has been confirmed by Lemino - the Japanese broadcaster - ahead of tomorrows presser

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Naoya Inoue brings a gift: Christmas Eve fight vs Sam Goodman

Naoya Inoue’s dominance of the junior featherweight division is such that his title defenses have grown into showcases of his talent rather than threats to his unblemished record.

Such will be the case on Christmas Eve in Tokyo when unbeaten four-division champion Inoue will have the holiday crowd’s attention by meeting Australia’s IBF mandatory challenger Sam Goodman on an ESPN+ card at Ariake Arena.

A news conference to formally announce the Christmas Eve card was staged Thursday in Japan, and Inoue will soon provide an exclusive interview with BS to elaborate on the fight and his future.

The card will also include a WBO bantamweight title defense by Yokishi Takei, 11-0 (8 KOs), against an opponent yet to be named.

Japan’s Inoue, 28-0 (25 KOs), is believed to be close to wrapping up his work at 122lbs, as the undisputed champion is expected to have his way with Goodman, 19-0 (8 KOs), and move on to a major event in America that Inoue’s U.S. promoter, Bob Arum, has touted.

The expectation is the bout will land in Las Vegas, and that it could very well become a showdown with unbeaten countryman and three-division and bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani.

Because of his previous destructions, Inoue surprisingly left something to be desired in his most recent bout, a seventh-round body-shot stoppage of veteran former titleholder TJ Doheny, in which Inoue was inactive by his standards in the early rounds before letting fly the defining barrage.

Yet “The Monster” has otherwise been a relentless, precision-punching fighting machine, rising to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings and flexing his popularity by selling out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome before flattening Luis Nery in May.

Goodman, 26, elevated to his lofty IBF position by defeating Doheny, Ra’eese Aleem and Miguel Flores in succession last year, most recently took a July 10 tune-up, defeating Thachtana Luangphon by unanimous decision.

[Sendo Takeshi]

Speaking of Inoue: Our favorite Asian and legend of the sport met Naoya in Japan.

https://x.com/turki_alalshikh/status/18 ... 19644?s=46

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Naoya Inoue has reportedly signed a massive $19.7 million sponsorship deal with Riyadh Season.

[joshj909]

Naoya Inoue has reportedly signed a massive $19.7 million sponsorship deal with Riyadh Season.

Hopefully they can influence him to get the big fights instead of Bob giving him less interesting ones.

[Thomastearns]

Naoya Inoue brings a gift: Christmas Eve fight vs Sam Goodman

Naoya Inoue’s dominance of the junior featherweight division is such that his title defenses have grown into showcases of his talent rather than threats to his unblemished record.

Says it all.

[keithmoonhangover]

It ain't Inoue's fault that he's really good at boxing.

[amwsnw]

Apparently this fight is off after Sam suffered a cut sparring - being reported by fox sports.

[margaret thatcher]

well that sucks, last thing we need is a meh mandatory holding inoue up

[gregregegg]

Toshiki or yoshiki would be decent replacements.

I assume they would rather keep inoue fighting and breaking up one of those undercard fights would be fine.

[joshj909]

Thanks Arum

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https://www.instagram.com/share/BAWvqUgxs2

[Sendo Takeshi]

That sucks. Didn't he have headgear on, or what?

I ended up being kinda excited about the fight.
If they can get any of the Japanese champions from bantamweight, that would be great. But they'll probably go for the next best Japanese super bantamweight they can find.

[amwsnw]

I believe it’s postponed until January 24.

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Yoshiki Takei injured, pulled from January 24th Inoue vs Goodman show

WBO bantamweight champion Yoshiki Takei is out for a few months after suffering a cartilage tear in his right shoulder

Shortly after a cut to Sam Goodman forced Naoya Inoue to delay their undisputed title fight from December 24th to January 24th, WBO bantamweight champion Yoshiki Takei, slated to face undefeated Thai Yuttapong Tongdee, held a press conference to announce that he’d suffered a shoulder injury.

Per Kyodo News, Takei (10-0, 8 KO) “suffered a cartilage tear in his right shoulder earlier in December that will require about four weeks to heal.” Gym owner Hideyuki Ohashi “said he was hoping to get Takei into the ring against Yuttapong sometime in the spring.”

It’s a bummer for sure; Takei, a former kickboxing ace, is guaranteed excitement whenever he enters the ring. His 2024 campaign saw him fend off a last-second surge from Jason Moloney to claim the title in May before slugging his way past fellow knockout artist Daigo Higa in September.

Still, good to know it’s not serious. Shoulder injuries can be an absolute nightmare to manage, so hopefully he heals up nicely and is ready to go in the next few months.

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[margaret thatcher]

i hope that means the end of any goodman fight

[margaret thatcher]

never heard of the new opponent , really disappointing how this has turned out

https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/606181

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never heard of the new opponent , really disappointing how this has turned out

https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/606181

Can’t do much on 2 weeks notice.

Unfortunate.

Goodman is out for 6 months. He will need plastic surgery

[Sendo Takeshi]

For facks sake.
What a waste of time this all is. Don't know if I even wanna watch that.

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Goodman cut sparring, withdraws from fight vs. Inoue again

For the second time in 30 days, Australia's Sam Goodman has withdrawn from a fight against undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue.

According to his promoter, No Limit, Goodman had a recurrence of an eye injury he suffered last month that led to the initial bout Dec. 24 being postponed to Jan. 24 in Tokyo.

Japan's Inoue, one of boxing's top global stars, still will fight Jan. 24 in Tokyo, sources told ESPN. A replacement opponent is being sought on two weeks' notice.

Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) needed four stitches to close a cut over his left eye that he suffered while sparring last month. While sparring Saturday morning (local time) in Australia, that cut reopened and was more severe.

The 26-year-old now will need plastic surgery that will sideline him approximately six months, sources said.

In May, Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) knocked out Luis Nery with 50,000-plus in attendance at a sold-out Tokyo Dome. In September, Inoue retained his four 122-pound belts with a seventh-round TKO of TJ Doheny.

Inoue, ESPN's No. 3-ranked pound-for-pound boxer, is already an all-time great, a four-division champion who has dominated every weight class in which he has reigned. He was a -2000 favorite to defeat Goodman, per ESPN BET.

Goodman, 26, is ESPN's No. 4-ranked junior featherweight and has proved his mettle in wins over fellow contenders Ra'eese Aleem and Doheny. He is coming off a July decision win over Thai fringe contender Thachtana Luangphon.

Inoue will be making the third defense of his undisputed championship and will fulfill another mandatory obligation. The 31-year-old still will owe a mandatory defense afterward against Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev.

Inoue hasn't competed in the United States since June 2021, but there are plans for him to return for a stateside fight in the spring. He told ESPN on Wednesday that fight could take place in April against Mexico's David Picasso at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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[amwsnw]

Real unfortunate for Sam as I’d say his opportunity to fight Inoue may have passed. It was always a stretch to think that cut would heal appropriately in 4 - 6 weeks. Pity for all as I thought it would be inoue’s biggest test.