Sam Goodman’s world title ambitions are still alive – rare.
The unbeaten Aussie returned to Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on Wednesday night and delivered a dominant, yet grim victory over Mexico’s Cesar Vaca. It was supposed to be a clean stem. Instead, Goodman covered the ring with blood and raised again – but with a w on the board.
The judges recorded it 100-90, 99-91 and 99-92. No controversy. Just damage.
Goodman comes in the top of the Super Bantamweight section. Earlier this year, he was supposed to face Naoya Inoue – the sample of the weight class – until a nasty training camp killed the dream. This battle was about the relocation of momentum and to get its name back into the mix.
He did it. But not without drama.
Goodman covered the first half sharply, determined the rate, landed clean body work and never got Vaca to get foothold. But while the rounds were running, the fight became messy. Goodman suffered Two separate cuts -Oen midfight and one leaves as a result of an evil casual head bud above the eye. Blood cast. Fans sighed. Goodman kept hitting.
He managed the final rounds like a pro, stayed behind the sting, kept it disciplined and never made Vaca build hope.
Now 20-0, Goodman remains the top name in the outside inoue and he made it clear that he was not disappearing.
After the fight, Goodman held tears back when he addressed his support group, The crazy clumpand reflect on what he called the wildest six months of his life. His words were not polished. They don’t have to be. The emotions said enough.
He wants inoue. Whether next or after another, Goodman is right in the conversation.
Garside shakes ring rust in the Comeback victory over Bell
In the co-function, Harry Garside, Golden Medal of the Commonwealth Games in 2018, made a long-awaited return to professional box after three years outside the game. And he didn’t waste time.
Garside won a victory over Charlie Bell in front of a crowd in Sydney. . The referee’s decision to blow off the battle has surprised a lot, with Bell still trading at the time of the downtime. It was not vintage, but it was enough. He showed movement, timing and the kind of experience that sharpened under pressure only. Bell tried to make it rough, but Garside kept things under control and overwhelmed him.
The finish came late. Garside achieved victory. And now he’s back in the lightweight conversation – with a real buzz behind him.
Ivic vs vousiutu: a heavyweight war that stole the whole damn night
It was supposed to be buried under the main meeting. It was ultimately the struggle that everyone is talking about.
In a struggle for the Australian Heavyweight title, Stevan Ivic and Meaning Vousiutu waged war for ten straight rounds in one of the most cruel, crowded sluggish slugfests that Sydney saw in years.
It was ugly, it was wild, it was chaos.
At round 6, Vousiutu was almost done. His corner gave him an ultimatum: Step it up, or we throw in the towel. He answers like a crazy – and turns the whole battle on his head. He ran out in round 7 and almost dropped Ivic with a monster shot. The place broke out.
Both men traded haymakers to the round, with massive shots that ended up clean. You could hear the down ongoing. Tim Tszyu, who watches live, calls it “a fight for the ages”. Ben Damon, man of play-for-play, said it was ‘the round of the year’.
And they don’t exaggerate.
Eventually, Ivic retained its title with a unanimous decision-96-94, 96-93, 96-93. But honestly, no one has lost. Both men embraced at the final clock. Fans were on their feet for minutes.
It was not a manufactured spectacle. It was two tough blocks that dig into the basement and tried to jerk each other in a title fight that turned into a war zone. It wasn’t just the best fight of the map – it was perhaps the best fight in the Australian box all year.
Complete fighting results
- Sam Goodman Def. Cesar Vaca Espinoza via UD10 (99-92, 99-91, 100-90)
- Harry barley Def. Charlie Bell via TKO5
- Stevan ivic Def. Thesis Vousiutu via UD10 (96-93 × 2, 96-94) for the Australian Heavyweight title
- Mounir Fathi Def. Wade Ryan via ko3
- Charlie Kazzi Def. Patrick Vela via UD8 (79-73 x2, 77-75)
- Jason Fawcett Def. Alex RULE VIA MD6 (59-55, 58-56, 57-57)
- Jasmine Parr Def. Hope phomta via tko1
- Trewhella Trewhella Def. Kali’s tahikia via tko3
Last updated on 05/15/2025
