Naoya Inoue set for Christmas eve fight vs Australian Sam Goodman

Japan’s Naoya Inoue (C) celebrates his victory over Ireland’s TJ Doheny in their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super-bantamweight title boxing match at at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on September 3, 2024. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)

Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue will defend his titles against Australia’s Sam Goodman in Tokyo on Christmas Eve, it was announced Thursday.

The fight at Ariake Arena will be the unbeaten Inoue’s third of the year and is likely to be his last in Japan before an expected bout in Las Vegas next year.

READ: Naoya Inoue remains undisputed champion, stops TJ Doheny

The 31-year-old, who has a 28-0 record with 25 wins by knockout, beat Ireland’s TJ Doheny in his most recent defense in Tokyo last month.

The 26-year-old Goodman, who has a 19-0 record with eight KOs, has never held a world title in any division.

“He has an unbeaten record so he must have something about him,” Inoue, known as “Monster”, told reporters in Tokyo.

READ: Naoya Inoue set for Vegas after stopping injured TJ Doheny

“I will need to be careful and bear that in mind for this fight.”

Inoue will be defending his super-bantamweight titles for the third time since he became undisputed champion in December last year.

Japan’s Naoya Inoue (R) knocks out Mexico’s Luis Nery (C) to win their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super bantamweight title boxing match at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on May 6, 2024. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

He is just the second man to become undisputed world champion at two different weights since the four-belt era began in 2004. American Terence Crawford was the first.

“This is the first time I’ve had three fights in a year since 2017,” said Inoue.

READ: Naoya Inoue hunger not yet sated even after unifying second weight division

“It’s reminded me how good for my preparation and physical shape it is to have that number of fights.

“I’m confident I will have no problem being in shape for December.”

Inoue invited Goodman into the ring after the Japanese fighter beat Mexico’s Luis Nery in front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome in May.

The pair were scheduled to fight in September until negotiations broke down.

Goodman said the fight was “the opportunity of a lifetime”.

“He’s a great boxer, he’s one of the best pound for pound,” he said.

“I’m aware of the task I’ve got in front of me and I know I’ve got to be at my best to beat this guy.

“I’m not coming all the way over to Tokyo to lie down and get beat like a lot of fighters have.”