Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue vs. Sam Goodman is set for Dec. 24 in Tokyo, Japan. Promoter Bob Arum says Japanese superstar Inoue’s title defense against #1 IBF and WBO Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) will come on Christmas Eve.
Arum tell Dan Rafael on X that Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) has a “Major fight” in the US in April 2025 in Las Vegas. Top-ranked promoter Arum isn’t giving any hints about who Inoue will fight, but fans are hoping he moves up to 126 to face one of the champions.
There isn’t much interest from fans outside of Australia in a fight between Inoue, 31, and Sam Goodman, as this clash is seen as another mismatch for the Japanese star. Goodman, 25, has very little punch and earned his No. 1 ranking from wins over these three:
– Chainoi Worawut
– Miguel Flores
– Raeese Aleem
– TJ Doheny
Inoue vs. Goodman will attract a lot of interest from fans in Japan and Australia, but not elsewhere. The Australian Goodman is a fighter similar to Paul Butler and will be on the run against Inoue. Fans believe Inoue is just milking his undisputed super bantamweight crown against the weak opposition in the 122-lb division with barren talent.
They believe Inoue knows he has a good thing going for himself in this dead division, so he’s milking it for all it’s worth. If Inoue moves up to the featherweight weight class, which is loaded with talent, things will be very different for him. Inoue would lose repeatedly, and his star would quickly dim, even in his native Japan.
As such, Inoue remains rooted in the weak 122-lb division, taking the easy fights against lesser fighters like Goodman, the 37-year-old TJ Doheny, Luis Nery, Marlon Tapales, and the light-punching Stephen Fulton.
At 122, Inoue is slated for a fight against compatriot Junto Nakatani, who holds the WBC bantamweight belt and has scored many knockouts. Nakatani is expected to stay at 118-lb to try to capture one or more belts before moving up to super bantamweight to challenge Inoue for his undisputed crown. That fight will do big numbers in Japan and could interest a lot of fans in the US as long as it isn’t shown early in the morning.
