Latest news with #superbantamweight
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sam Goodman grateful for 'out of the blue' title opportunity after Naoya Inoue fallout
The call came out of the blue and at a point in his career when Sam Goodman wasn't sure when he would see another title opportunity. The unbeaten Australian was just a couple of weeks removed from his May 14 win over Cesar Vaca, which ended a 10-month inactive stretch. During that time, he suffered a cut over his left eye in back-to-back training camps, which postponed and then outright canceled his planned challenge of undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs). A career 122-pounder whose divisional king had a full schedule for the rest of 2025, Goodman could not have been more pleased to have been offered another title fight. It meant a move up in weight to face Nick Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs), the squat and scrappy WBA featherweight titlist. 'It was a bit of a shock opportunity to move up and fight for a world title,' Goodman told Uncrowned. 'The move up was a bit inevitable. I'm a decent-sized super bantamweight, so this for sure would have been something we'd have been looking at. Making 122 is sustainable for now. 'But after losing out on a shot for the world title, it looked like I was gonna get shut out for a while. I didn't know what was going to be next, then this came out of the blue. I was like 'abso-f***ing-lutely.' It was a no-brainer; we jumped at it.' Ball-Goodman is part of Saturday's DAZN pay-per-view event, which will air live from ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The show is headlined by top heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma (12-0, 12 KOs) in a step up against Dillian Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs). However, Goodman's challenge of Ball represents the evening's lone major title fight. It makes the outing that much more significant to the 26-year-old from Albion Park, Australia, even if it's not how he originally envisioned the shape of his 2025 campaign. Goodman entered 2025 fully prepared to shock the world in his already rescheduled championship showdown with Inoue. The two were due to meet Dec. 24 in Tokyo, only for the bout to be met with a one-month delay after the top-rated contender suffered a cut over his left eye during his final day of sparring. The Jan. 24 date moved forward only for Inoue after Goodman suffered another cut in the same exact spot. This one came roughly two weeks out from fight night, at which point he was left on the injured list and out in the cold. It also meant losing out on the career payday that would have come with the title challenge. Worse, he had to let his cut — which required roughly 15 stitches — time to heal before he could even think about returning to the sport that provided his only source of income. 'It was a lot of struggle, to be honest,' Goodman recalled. 'I don't know anything else but boxing. This is my job, this is my work and how I put food on the table and make my bread. To be honest, it was a tough few months. I bought another house prior to the first Inoue fight date and making the payments depended on getting that payday. 'Financially, it was killing me to not be able to fight during that time. I was living week-to-week, borrowing money just to stay on my feet. The expenses were very high, and my income was very low. I had my fight in Wollongong last July, hadn't fought since then. I put all the money we had down on the house, then wound up not even getting that check. It hurt; it was tough.' If nothing else, it provided him with the type of mentality a fighter of Goodman's stature wouldn't carry into an otherwise routine stay-busy fight. Yet, the fight with Vaca in May was the only thing on his mind because it was the only opportunity on his schedule. The walk to the ring that night in Sydney was made without any knowledge of what a win would lead to in his immediate — or even his long-term — future. 'Honestly, we had no plans after the Vaca fight when we were entering the ring,' Goodman said. 'It allowed me to focus solely on that fight, to be honest. My head was nowhere near focusing on what was next. 'The only thing going through my mind was, 'If you slip up against Vaca, then … f***, it's time to rethink things.' I had to go all in for that fight because the opportunities that once lied ahead were diminishing quickly. All my focus was on that fight.' It was enough to deliver a dominant performance and shake off the rust the came with having not fought since July 2024. Little did he know at the time how crucial it was to return to action, regardless of the stakes. 'Before the fight, I didn't really think it was that important,' Goodman said. 'It was just a fight to get back in the ring but without knowing what was next. Looking back at it now, it definitely was crucial. 'Just to get through that camp after the last two rounds of injuries we had, all the contact and stuff. It was a bit of an emotional buildup to get back into the ring as well. It was big. I was extremely grateful for it, just to get back to doing my job.' A couple of weeks later, Goodman and his team huddled to discuss his next move. It was agreed activity was important and at some point a path to return to the title stage. Then came the shortcut they least expected. 'About two days before we got the call for the Nick Ball fight, my coach and I were talking about what was next,' remembered Goodman. 'The plan was probably to fight around this time, just to keep active, but we weren't signed to fight anyone. 'Then two days later, we got that call.' Goodman has spent the entirety of his seven-year career at super bantamweight, save for a brief two-fight stretch in 2021. He rose to the mandatory position with the IBF after a June 2023 victory over then-unbeaten Ra'eese Aleem in Broadbeach, Australia. By the time he was set to challenge Inoue, Goodman was also the No. 1 WBO challenger. The long wait for his first title fight proved for naught, as both sanctioning bodies dropped him from the top contender spot. Inoue, Uncrowned's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, is next due to defend his undisputed championship against Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs), the WBA interim titlist, on Sept. 14 in Nagoya, Japan. A win on that night is expected to lead to a clash with WBC mandatory challenger Alan David Picasso on Dec. 27 in Japan. Needless to say, any decision to remain at 122 for the rest of the year would mean a bleak 2025 campaign. Granted, any fight is better than the downtime he was forced to endure, along with the opportunities lost along the way. Still, it was hardly the career turn he expected, especially on those nights earlier this year when the bills began to pile up and he was unable to punch for pay while recovering from surgery. 'There is no way you can see what I went through during that time and think I wanted it to turn out that way. I put my family and myself through all kinds of s***. This was the biggest opportunity of my career. 'Whatever was said about me, none of that really bothered me. I couldn't give a f*** what anyone outside of my inner circle thinks about me. People claiming I tried to get out of the fight or whatever, all I got to say to that is that the loudest boos in the room usually come from the people in the cheapest seats.' Goodman's right back in a position where a win would provide motivation for Inoue to once again look his way. The future Hall of Famer from Yokohama, Japan, has long viewed featherweight as a likely final destination, a weight where he believes he can win a fifth divisional title. A win Saturday leaves Goodman in a far more favorable position than at any point since the moment in mid-January when he lost out on the Inoue fight. Still, there remains plenty of work to be done. For the second time this year, Goodman is listed as a sizable underdog ahead of a major title challenge. Inoue was as much as a -2500 favorite against Goodman before the bout's cancellation. Goodman will still enter the ring with plenty to prove. Liverpool's Ball is listed as a -540 favorite at BetMGM, with Goodman at +300. Defying the odds has always been a motivating factor for Goodman. The belief that there is so much for him to accomplish helped get him through what would have been the darkest point for most other athletes. 'It was just the confidence that I would be able to resume my career,' Goodman said. 'I knew this was a lost opportunity after that second cut, but it didn't mean my career was over. So, I just had to get back into the ring. 'That first sparring session, I knew would get me back on my feet. That's really all it took. I don't dwell on darkness; I always try to find a silver lining. For me, it was knowing that I still had so much more to achieve in this sport. My family and my team kept my head in the right place. If anything, it made me appreciate all those around me even more.' Now, all he has to do is win at a new weight and in a country in which he's never before fought. Fortunately, it's the same intention Goodman had at the start of the year. 'Whatever it takes to win is all that's on my mind,' Goodman said. 'There's no measure I won't take to get my hand raised that night. My head is at beating Nick Ball and winning that world title. 'It's why I got in this game. It's a lifetime's worth of work to get to this moment, and I've got to seize it.'
France 24
10-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
'Monster' Inoue to face Akhmadaliev in Japan
The unbeaten Inoue stopped American Ramon Cardenas in the eighth round in Las Vegas in his previous bout -- the first time the boxer known as "Monster" had fought outside Japan in four years. The 32-year-old returns to his home country to take on Akhmadaliev, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and held the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight world titles between 2020 and 2023. Inoue, who has a 30-0 record with 27 knockouts, told reporters in Tokyo that he wanted to "pay attention to all my skills" in preparing for the fight. "I want to train with a high level of vigilance," he said. Inoue was knocked down for only the second time in his career against Cardenas, taking a left hook from the heavy underdog in the second round. He climbed off the canvas to stop Cardenas 45 seconds into the eighth round after a flurry of powerhouse punches. It was Inoue's fourth title defence since becoming undisputed super-bantamweight champion and his second of the year after knocking out South Korea's Kim Ye-joon in the fourth round in Tokyo in January.
Japan Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
'Monster' Inoue to face Akhmadaliev in Nagoya
Undisputed super bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue announced Thursday that he will defend his titles against Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Nagoya on Sept. 14. The unbeaten Inoue stopped American Ramon Cardenas in the eighth round in Las Vegas in his previous bout — the first time the boxer, known as "Monster," had fought outside Japan in four years. The 32-year-old returns to his home country to take on Akhmadaliev, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and held the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight world titles between 2020 and 2023. Inoue, who has a 30-0 record with 27 knockouts, told reporters in Tokyo that he wanted to "pay attention to all my skills" in preparing for the fight. "I want to train with a high level of vigilance," he said. Inoue was knocked down for only the second time in his career against Cardenas, taking a left hook from the heavy underdog in the second round. He climbed off the canvas to stop Cardenas 45 seconds into the eighth round after a flurry of powerhouse punches. It was Inoue's fourth title defense since becoming undisputed super bantamweight champion and his second of the year after knocking out South Korea's Kim Ye-joon in the fourth round in Tokyo in January. Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs) beat Mexico's Luis Castillo in his previous fight in May.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Monster' Inoue to face Akhmadaliev in Japan
Japan's undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue will defend his titles against Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September (Yuichi YAMAZAKI) Japan's undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue announced Thursday that he will defend his titles against Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Nagoya in September. The unbeaten Inoue stopped American Ramon Cardenas in the eighth round in Las Vegas in his previous bout -- the first time the boxer known as "Monster" had fought outside Japan in four years. Advertisement The 32-year-old returns to his home country to take on Akhmadaliev, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and held the WBA and IBF super-bantamweight world titles between 2020 and 2023. Inoue, who has a 30-0 record with 27 knockouts, told reporters in Tokyo that he wanted to "pay attention to all my skills" in preparing for the fight. "I want to train with a high level of vigilance," he said. Inoue was knocked down for only the second time in his career against Cardenas, taking a left hook from the heavy underdog in the second round. He climbed off the canvas to stop Cardenas 45 seconds into the eighth round after a flurry of powerhouse punches. Advertisement It was Inoue's fourth title defence since becoming undisputed super-bantamweight champion and his second of the year after knocking out South Korea's Kim Ye-joon in the fourth round in Tokyo in January. Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs) beat Mexico's Luis Castillo in his previous fight in May. amk/dh
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Unified champ Ellie Scotney hails Jake Paul as the Turki Alalshikh of women's boxing: 'Jake is changing the game'
LONDON — It's almost as if Ellie Scotney needs reminding of her status in world boxing. The 27-year-old sits casually on the ring apron inside Shane McGuigan's east London gym, rosy cheeked, looking bemused by the attention she is receiving. 'I thought you were here to join the gym,' she remarks, grinning ear to ear before suggesting she could offer me a leaflet. 'I'm not used to all of this!' Advertisement We exchange pleasantries before my eyes wander. 'Alright, aren't they?' she adds, catching me inspect her three super bantamweight world championships. The IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine titles at 122 pounds sparkle in the London sun, sitting proudly next to the Catford fighter as she wraps her hands, diligently, ahead of her latest pad session. We're speaking just weeks before a historic night in New York City, where Scotney (10-0, 0 KOs) will look to further unify the super bantamweight division. Her opponent, Mexico's Yamileth Mercado (24-3, 5 KOs), brings the green and gold of the WBC title to Madison Square Garden, joining a historically stacked card headlined by a highly-anticipated trilogy meeting between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. 'It's crazy when you think about it,' she explains. 'Little old me, going from SE6 (her home postcode in Catford, southeast London) to MSG. It's been a dream of mine my whole life for an opportunity like this, and thanks to Jake [Paul] and Nikisa [Bidarian], it's become a reality.' It doesn't take Scotney long to mention the name of one of boxing's most controversial figures. Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) vehicle have made a big move to become the market leaders in women's boxing over the past couple of years, and Friday's event — airing live worldwide on Netflix — should mark a memorable milestone, an all-women card with 21 combined world title belts contested. Advertisement 'It's third time lucky when it comes to me and Jake,' Scotney says with a laugh. 'I was begging to be featured on the first Taylor vs. Serrano card [in 2022] but it never worked out. By the time the rematch came around [in 2024] I even DM'd Jake, but again I got nothing back from him. Thinking about it … he has still actually left me on 'read.' But I guess I wore them down eventually. Timing is everything in boxing and I guess this was my destiny all along. 'I'm not sure when the occasion will sink in, if I am being honest with you — probably the day after, when I can look back at what I have done. But I am pretty good at locking in. Obviously it's a huge deal for me fighting inside MSG, but my mindset has always been to take care of what's in front of me.' Scotney's record is unblemished as a pro through 10 outings. After turning pro during a pandemic-stricken 2020, she moved seamlessly to her first world title in her seventh fight, beating Cherneka Johnson for the IBF strap at 122 pounds. Benefitting from more eyes on the women's code during 18 months of pandemic-era restrictions across the globe, Scotney believes that female fighters subsequently suffered a slump as Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi Arabian influence entered the game. Ellie Scotney (left) and Yamileth Mercado face off ahead of Friday's championship showdown. (Ed Mulholland via Getty Images) 'As good as Saudi Arabia and the investment may have been good for the sport and big fights, it hasn't really benefited women's boxing,' she says. 'We just haven't had the same investment or opportunities offered to us as the men. But that's what's been so special about Jake and MVP investing in us. It feels like a big family here — they [MVP] are interested and invested in our stories as fighters.' Advertisement Scotney's next opponent, Mercado, shares a weight class, a world title in the super bantamweight division and also the same birth date as Scotney. But unlike the London fighter, Mercado has grown up in the paid ranks in typical Mexican pugilist style. She made her debut as a 16-year-old in the north of Mexico, and has since built a 27-fight record with just three losses. 'I've watched her loads of times,' Scotney admits. 'We nearly fought in my second fight as a pro, but it didn't quite work out. She's got a very awkward style, she's crude and does everything very well — she's a box of tricks. And that's going to be dangerous for me. 'She's a champion, but so am I. I have put my trust in [coach] Shane [McGuigan] and I am ready to box to orders. I have to trust the process and believe in myself and know that she hasn't seen what I have to bring to the fight.' Scotney speaks glowingly of her coach, McGuigan, and is candid enough to admit that she has only just 'dipped her toe' into what they can accomplish as a pair. Their chemistry is infectious as they glide around the ring working on spiteful combinations, with an eclectic Spotify mix booming around the gym, acting as a comfort blanket for the champion. Ellie Scotney has fast become a belt collector in the super bantamweight division. (Action Images via Reuters / Reuters) There's a steely eyed focus that is impossible to ignore from the 27-year-old. She looks at home within the four walls of the Leyton gym, which acts as a much-needed sanctuary in what has been a testing year. Advertisement In May this year, Scotney's friend and Durham boxer Georgia O'Connor died after a short battle with cancer. Scotney previously called O'Connor the 'most beautiful human' she had ever met, and Friday night in New York acts as the perfect opportunity to honor who she called her 'sister.' 'In my eyes, this fight is about Georgia — she is the main event," Scotney says. "It's been hard, but at the same time it has given me drive and a purpose. Before she passed I made a promise to her that she'll always be a part of my story. So that's what I am going to make sure I do.' Scotney's session begins to wrap up and I push for a prediction. Perhaps the spike in endorphins will act to lower her guard? But no, 'You know I'm not going to answer that,' she confirms. 'But it's going to be a historic night, and I am so proud to be a part of it. If this fight [card] was all men, I think even Turki [Alalshikh] would struggle to afford it! 'Jake is changing the game — he is the 'Excellency' of women's boxing,' she laughs, poking fun at Alalshikh's sobriquet within the sport. 'Surely that'll get me a bonus, right?'
