The risk proved to be worth it, yet at the same time, super-bantamweight contender Sam Goodman of Australia paid a price for taking on a fight prior to his mandatory shot at 122 pound king Naoya Inoue. Earlier today in Wollongong, unbeaten Goodman pounded out a wide 12 round unanimous decision win over fellow unbeaten Chainoi Worawut (AKA Thachtana Luangphon) of Thailand.
Scores were 119-109, 117-111, and 117-113. Goodman is now 19-0(8), while Worawit loses his unbeaten record in falling to 25-1-1(15).
25 year old Goodman of New South Wales didn’t have to take today’s fight, with his shot at unified super-bantamweight champ Inoue set to take place either next, or in Inoue’s next but one fight. However, Goodman broke his left hand in the fourth round of today’s fight and he and his team will have to wait and see how quickly the injury heals up.
Goodman boxed well today and, the hand issue aside, he got some good rounds in, rounds the Australian said he wanted, to get him as sharp as possible for “The Monster.” Goodman was tested today, the action exciting at times, with some trading and some hefty shots landed from both sides. But Goodman was a step ahead pretty much all the way through, his class evident. Not a massive puncher, Goodman is a good boxer and it is possible he gives Inoue plenty to think about when the fight rolls around.
Goodman called Inoue out after posting his latest win:
“We’re in Wollongong; they say the house always wins and this is my f*****g house! He ain’t beating me,” Goodman bellowed. “It [the hand] was hurting in about round four or six and later in the fight I felt it hurt even more….we’ll go get it scanned but it shouldn’t put me out for too long. I’ll be back in by year’s end for the title. We want ‘The Monster.’ Let’s go!”
Inoue, 27-0(24) and just 3-0(3) as a super-bantamweight, will of course be a significant favourite to defeat Goodman when the fight takes place, as Inoue is the favourite against each and every man he faces. Still, Goodman is full of confidence, he has skills and he is tough, and Goodman doesn’t know how to lose.
Whether Goodman faces Inoue next, or in the fight after that, the gritty Australian has earned his shot. Today, Goodman rolled the dice in deciding to risk his shot, and he won.
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