Recently, there have been rumors that the fight between the current super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue and Australian hopeful Sam Goodman has been scheduled for December 24th in Tokyo, Japan. A lot of public interest is anticipated for the fight, most especially in Japan and in Australia, where Inoue will be fighting against the WBA super flyweight champion and the undefeated Goodman to defend his IBF and WBO titles. Positioned as a Christmas Eve showdown, the fight is expected to be another display of Inoue’s dominance in the super bantamweight division.
Naoya Inoue’s Undefeated Streak and International Appeal
28-year-old Naoya Inoue is hailed as the Japanese boxing star and is considered one of the most promising boxers of today, with a record of non-losing fights—28 victories, 25 of which were knockouts. Naoya Inoue’s usage of stellar punch-like power as well as speed to his fame enraptures the global viewers of boxing. However, this fight with Goodman has received some controversy, with fans feeling excited about this fight, while others are concerned that the 118-pound division is very weak.
Promoter Bob Arum has suggested the ‘Hawk’ is set for a significant fight in the States in April next year in Las Vegas. This has created a huge wavelength among boxing lovers, though the opponent is yet to be named. Then there are those supporters who expect Naoya Inoue to take this same experimental approach to the featherweight division, which has promising contenders.
Goodman’s Rise in the Rankings
Champion Sam Goodman, who occupies the first line of the IBF and WBO lists, has an undefeated streak: 19 wins; 8 of them ended with a knockout. Some critics have though frowned at Goodman’s rise, claiming that he was merely unknown before when he defeated some insignificant fighters.
Overall, his fights have not brought many believers that he has a chance of defeating Naoya Inoue, not least because of the latter’s fearsome reputation. Thus, the fight will be a life-changing event in Goodman’s career because it will let him take up the international-level challenge. Nonetheless, some can disregard this fight and think that Goodman is subpar and Inoue beats all of his opponents.
Final Thoughts
For now there is no indication that Naoya Inoue wants to move up further to the bantamweight division, but the Japanese fighter could resume his super bantamweight ways and face other contenders such as Luis Nery, Marlon Tapales, or even Junto Nakatani. The current WBC bantamweight title holder, Naakatani, is expected to seek a fight with Inoue as soon as possible.
Therefore, there is still the issue as fans consider the division that Naoya Inoue could transition to and whether he will continue to reign at 122 or venture up to the more risky featherweight division. Nonetheless, his next fight scheduled for December 24th against Goodman will be another landmark fight in his career as he seeks to extend his unbeaten record besides being among the best pound-for-pound fighters.
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