Almost 60 years after Lionel Rose shocked the world – and upset a Japanese megastar – another of Australia’s most exciting young fighters is now readying to punch himself into national sporting immortality.
A year on from famously declaring himself ‘Mr Mandatory’, Australia’s undefeated super bantamweight star Sam Goodman has finally been confirmed to fight Japan’s Naoya Inoue in a Tokyo world title blockbuster on Christmas Eve.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Thursday afternoon, and only minutes after being beamed into Japan for a huge press announcement, the 26-year-old Albion Park product declared himself “ready to shock everyone” in the December 24 headliner.
BKFC 67: CAMOZZI VS DEPEE | Watch LIVE SAT 26 OCT 11AM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Zerafa wants Tszyu fight next | 00:59
Inoue is currently the division’s undisputed king, meaning if all belts go on the line Goodman can become the nation’s first undisputed champion since Kostya Tszyu.
The fight also carries wonderful similarities to when Rose went and became Australia’s first indigenous sporting world champion way back in 1968 — by defeating Japan’s Fighting Harada in a huge upset to claim the bantamweight crown.
So significant was the Rose win, celebrities like Elvis would look to get time with the humble boxer who would eventually return home to a Melbourne welcome that saw an estimated 100,000 people lining the streets.
While Goodman has waited over a year since becoming mandatory for the Inoue blockbuster – and fought, and won, four more times – he stressed the bout announcement alone does not excite him.
“Yes, I’ve got my shot,” Goodman said on Thursday.
“But I haven’t worked this hard for a world title shot … I’ve worked this hard to go win all the belts.
“And 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.”
Asked what a win would mean, including inking his name alongside the nation’s greatest fighters, Goodman continued: “Look, winning will be mission accomplished, that’s all I’m focused on.
“As far as excitement … no, I haven’t let my head go there.
“Same as 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.
“And if I did listen to others, I’d be sitting with me.
“So that’s not where my head is at.
“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.”
Elsewhere, Goodman also shrugged off talk from Inoue’s team, including famed US promoter Bob Arum, that already surrounds the star fighting again in Las Vegas by April before then taking on fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani.
“Look, I know a promoter’s job to start planning the steps for his fighter’s career,” Goodman continued.
“But if that’s where Inoue and his team’s head is at, they will slip up as well.
“So that’s where they can put their focus.
“But I’m not looking any further ahead than my next training session.
“Everything I do is to win this fight.
“So if they still want to go do all that after I win, good luck to them.
“I’m not worrying about them showing me no respect or whatever.
“If that’s how they approach it, they will slip up.
“For me, it’s all about putting in the work to put myself in the best shape to win December.”
Beamed into a live press conference attended by Inoue in Tokyo, Goodman described his upcoming headliner at Ariake Arena as “the opportunity of a lifetime” – and stressed he was set to prove a far bigger test than some of the champ’s more recent rivals.
“We’ve known about this fight for quite a while now, so I’m here, I’m ready, I’m keen to get it on,” Goodman declared.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I’ve waited a while for my shot and I’m just glad we’ve finally got it here.”
Asked about Inoue, he continued: “He’s a great boxer
“One of the best pound-for-pound.
“So I’m aware of the task in front of me.
“I know I’ve got to be at my best to beat this guy.
“But I’m not coming all the way to Tokyo to lie down and get beat like a lot of fighters have.”
Goodman also said, again, that he knew Inoue’s team “are overlooking me”.
“I know they’ve got dates already scheduled for next year,” he said. “
“But I’m not looking past this fight and I don’t think he should be either, or he’s going to slip up.”
Goodman also described the opportunity to become undisputed champion as dream he has chased since childhood.
“The reason I got into this sport was to become undisputed world champion,” he said.
“I’ve worked hard to get into this position but I haven’t worked hard just to get here.
“I’m coming to win.
“That’s it.
“My job is to win this fight and to win against a great champion like Naoya makes it sweeter.”
Now living and training out of Complete Boxing on the Central Coast, Goodman became the mandatory for Inoue in June last year – when he upset undefeated American Ra’eese Aleem on the undercard of Tim Tszyu’s win over Carlos Ocampo.
Speaking in the ring immediately afterwards, the Aussie shouted: “It ain’t Sam Goodman, call me ‘Mr F***ing Mandatory’.
“I’m just pumped right now.
“Words can’t explain what me and the team have put into this.
“This is the start …”
Since then, Goodman has been forced to wait over a year for his shot, while also staying busy by taking fights against American Miguel Flores, China’s Zhong Liu, Melbournian Mark Schleibs and Thai fighter Chainoi Worawut.
Inoue, meanwhile, is undefeated in 28 fights, has won world titles across four weight classes and is one of only three male boxers in the ‘four belt’ era to become undisputed champion in two weight classes – alongside Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk.
Discussion about this post