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Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Naoya Inoue-Sam Goodman IBF mandatory title fights until October 29 scholarship bid


A ‘monster’ wallet bid is on the horizon.

The Ring has learned that the IBF has scheduled a hearing on October 29 to determine promotional rights for the Naoya Inoue-Sam Goodman mandatory title fight. The two teams were ordered to begin negotiations for their junior featherweight championship in mid-September. The sanctioning body has yet to be notified of a transaction that is in place and has taken appropriate action.

“On September 12, 2024, the IBF ordered champion Naoya Inoue and #1 rated Sam Goodman to begin negotiations,” IBF President Daryl People informed all registered promoters in a letter obtained by The Ring. “An agreement could not be reached during the time frame allotted.

“The IBF orders a purse bid in this office on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 12 noon. Bids must be submitted at 11:45 to be opened promptly at 12 noon.”

Goodman is Inoue’s IBF junior featherweight mandatory challenger. Inoue is The Ring and undisputed champion at the weight, but with two mandatory title defenses to honor, starting with the IBF.

The two parties can still reach an agreement at any stage before the start of the purse trial. Given the battle’s status, this is the path normally taken.

Japan’s Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) has been with Ohashi Promotions throughout his already Hall-of-Fame worthy career. The RING’s no. 2 pound-for-pound competitor and reigning Fighter of the Year is also co-promoted by Top Rank. Australia’s Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) is with No Limit Boxing.

The attractive match pits two of the four highest-ranked fighters at the weight through The Ring. Inoue has been The Ring champion at 122 since last December 26. Goodman moved up to No. 3 at 122.

Inoue fully unified the division with a tenth round knockout of Marlon Tapales last December 26 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. He claimed the IBF and WBA belts, retained the WBC and WBO titles and filled The Ring championship vacancy.

With the win came inherited WBA and IBF obligations. Tapales was the no. 1-ranked IBF contender when he defeated Murodjon Akhmadaleiev last April 8 in San Antonio, Texas. Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) has since worked his way up to the WBA no. 1 position and was even ordered to face Inoue next. However, the sanctioning body has not yet called for a purse bid or furthered that status.

That opened the door for Goodman to receive his first career title shot more than a year after earning his spot in the lineup. The undefeated boxer soundly defeated Ra’eese Aleem in their June 2023 title eliminator to defeat the no. 1 contender. He has since fought four times while waiting for his crack at the division’s top prize. In comparison, Akhmadaliev’s WBA title knockout win over Kevin Gonzalez is his only fight during that span. However, much of the reason for the inactivity was the anticipation of a WBA mandatory title shot against Inoue which forced at least one bout cancellation.

Nevertheless, Inoue and his team have yet to come to terms with Goodman to keep his targeted December 24 fight date in Japan. This very match was rumored to headline the Christmas Eve programme. There is work to be done to get there, and to avoid a wallet hearing.

Inoue has won titles in four weight divisions, including undisputed reigns at 118 and 122. He has defended the Ring Championship twice this year and all four major belts at 122. Both were knockout victories over former title holders. Inoue survived his lone career knockout in a sixth-round knockout of Luis Nery on May 4 at Tokyo Dome. That was followed by a seventh-round stoppage of TJ Doheny on September 3 at Ariake Arena.

Follow @JakeNDaBox





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