Sam Goodman and Ryosuke Nishida have been ordered to negotiate a fight for the interim IBF super bantamweight title, with the winner moving into position for a future showdown against undisputed champion Naoya Inoue.
The IBF has given both camps 30 days to reach an agreement before the bout continues to put in offers.
Goodman (22-1, 8 KOs) enters the bout ranked No. 2 by the IBF. The Australian contender has twice seen scheduled fights with Inoue collapse after suffering cuts during training camps in late 2024 and early 2025.
After moving up in weight and losing to Nick Ball, Goodman returned to the super bantamweight division and won two straight bouts to work his way back into title contention.
Nishida (11-1, 2 KOs), the IBF’s no. 1 contender, previously held the organization’s bantamweight title. The Osaka native’s only professional loss came against fellow Japanese standout Junto Nakatani.
Australian broadcaster Main Event announced the development on social media.
“IBF has officially commissioned an interim IBF World Super Bantamweight title fight between Australia’s Sam Goodman (22-1, 8 KOs) and Japan’s Ryosuke Nishida (11-1, 2 KOs), with the winner to face undisputed pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue.
Inoue remains the IBF’s full champion as he continues his reign as the undisputed king at 122 pounds. Creating an interim title ensures that the division keeps moving, while maintaining the possibility that Goodman will finally secure the opportunity that has slipped away twice before.
For Nishida, the fight presents a chance to regain championship status in a second weight class. For Goodman, it represents another route back to the Inoue match that eluded him for nearly two years.
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Last updated on 2026/06/15 at 12:06
