Japan’s Naoya Inoue (C) celebrates his victory over Eire’s TJ Doheny of their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO super-bantamweight title boxing match at at Ariake Area in Tokyo on September 3, 2024. (Photograph by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)
Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue will defend his titles in opposition to Australia’s Sam Goodman in Tokyo on Christmas Eve, it was introduced Thursday.
The struggle at Ariake Area would be the unbeaten Inoue’s third of the yr and is more likely to be his final in Japan earlier than an anticipated bout in Las Vegas subsequent yr.
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READ: Naoya Inoue stays undisputed champion, stops TJ Doheny
The 31-year-old, who has a 28-0 report with 25 wins by knockout, beat Eire’s TJ Doheny in his most up-to-date protection in Tokyo final month.
The 26-year-old Goodman, who has a 19-0 report with eight KOs, has by no means held a world title in any division.
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“He has an unbeaten report so he will need to have one thing about him,” Inoue, often known as “Monster”, advised reporters in Tokyo.
READ: Naoya Inoue set for Vegas after stopping injured TJ Doheny
“I’ll have to be cautious and bear that in thoughts for this struggle.”
Inoue can be defending his super-bantamweight titles for the third time since he grew to become undisputed champion in December final yr.
Japan’s Naoya Inoue (R) knocks out Mexicos Luis Nery (C) to win their IBF-WBA-WBC-WBO tremendous bantamweight title boxing match on the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on Might 6, 2024. (Photograph by Philip FONG / AFP)
He’s simply the second man to grow to be undisputed world champion at two totally different weights for the reason that four-belt period started in 2004. American Terence Crawford was the primary.
“That is the primary time I’ve had three fights in a yr since 2017,” mentioned Inoue.
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“It’s jogged my memory how good for my preparation and bodily form it’s to have that variety of fights.
“I’m assured I’ll don’t have any downside being in form for December.”
Inoue invited Goodman into the ring after the Japanese fighter beat Mexico’s Luis Nery in entrance of 55,000 followers on the Tokyo Dome in Might.
The pair have been scheduled to struggle in September till negotiations broke down.
Goodman mentioned the struggle was “the chance of a lifetime”.
“He’s a fantastic boxer, he’s the most effective pound for pound,” he mentioned.
“I’m conscious of the duty I’ve received in entrance of me and I do know I’ve received to be at my greatest to beat this man.
“I’m not coming all the way in which over to Tokyo to lie down and get beat like quite a lot of fighters have.”
