Naoya Inoue’s historic run continues at a breakneck tempo.
The game’s most energetic RING champion is ready to defend his undisputed 122-pound throne versus Australia’s Sam Goodman. Their championship conflict will happen on Dec. 24—Christmas Eve—at Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo, Japan. The bout was formally introduced throughout a press convention held Thursday in Tokyo.
ESPN+ will carry the present reside within the U.S., an ongoing custom for Inoue’s “Monster” occasions in Japan.
Inoue (28-0, 25 knockouts), The Ring’s No. 2-rated pound-for-pound fighter, will try his fourth total protection of not less than two 122-pound titles. The bout may even function his third protection of The Ring championship, all which is able to are available in an energetic 2023 marketing campaign.
Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs), No. 3 at 122 by The Ring, will enter his first profession title struggle.
The present additionally contains WBO bantamweight titlist Yoshiki Takei (11-0, 8 KOs). An opponent was not revealed throughout Thursday’s press convention. Takei will make the second protection of the title he received from Jason Moloney on Might 4 on the Tokyo Dome. The present was headlined by Inoue’s off-the-canvas, sixth-round knockout of Luis Nery (35-2, 27 KOs).
This occasion will mark the sixth in a row the place Inoue and Takei each seem. It’s the third consecutive card the place they’ll each take part in title fights.
Inoue and Goodman have been capable of attain an settlement to keep away from a handbag bid listening to scheduled for Oct. 29. Goodman is the IBF obligatory challenger, a standing he’s held since a June 2023 win over Ra’eese Aleem. Their IBF title eliminator between unbeaten challengers noticed Goodman lodge his finest win so far.
Goodman has fought 4 instances since then in his finest effort to remain recent for the largest struggle of his profession.
Inoue absolutely unified the division with a tenth-round knockout of Marlon Tapales final Dec. 26 at Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo. He claimed the IBF and WBA belts, retained the WBC and WBO titles and fulfilled The Ring championship emptiness.
With the win got here inherited WBA and IBF mandatories. Tapales was the No. 1-ranked IBF contender when he defeated Murodjon Akhmadaleiev final April 8 in San Antonio, Texas. Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) has since made his technique to the WBA No. 1 place and was even ordered to subsequent face Inoue. Nonetheless, the sanctioning physique has but to name for a handbag bid or additional advance that standing.
It opened the door for Goodman to obtain his first profession title shot greater than a yr after incomes his place in line.
Inoue has received titles in 4 weight divisions, together with undisputed reigns at 118 and 122. He has twice defended The Ring championship and all 4 main belts at 122 this yr. Each have been knockout wins over former titleholders. Inoue survived his lone profession knockdown in a sixth-round knockout of Nery on Might 4. It was adopted by a seventh-round stoppage of TJ Doheny on Sept. 3 at Ariake Enviornment.
Undercard bouts
Ring No. 9-rated welterweight Jin Sasaki (18-1-1, 17 KOs), who faces Shoki Sakai (29-14-3, 15 KOs) in a ten-round contest.
Kai Watanabe (13-1-1, 7 KOs) meets Tsubasa Narai (14-2, 10 KOs) in a ten-round all-Tokyo junior light-weight showdown.
Osaka’s Toshiki Shimomachi (19-1-3, 12 KOs) battles Misaki Hirano (11-1, 4 KOs) in a ten-round bantamweight affair.
Kobe’s Goki Kobayashi (8-1, 5 KOs) squares off with Yuni Takada (15-8-3, 6 KOs) in a 12-round regional strawweight title struggle.
