Naoya Inoue vs Sam Goodman Christmas Eve

Naoya Inoue's dominance in the junior featherweight division has reached a level where his title defenses have become more of a display of his skill than a serious challenge to his perfect record. This trend is expected to continue on Christmas Eve in Tokyo, where the undefeated four-division champion will take on Australia's IBF mandatory challenger, Sam Goodman, at Ariake Arena in an ESPN+ broadcasted event.

A press conference was held in Japan on Thursday to formally announce the fight, and Inoue is scheduled to provide an exclusive interview with BoxingScene to discuss the bout and his future plans. The event will also feature a WBO bantamweight title defense by Yokishi Takei (11-0, 8 KOs), though his opponent has yet to be confirmed. As for Inoue, nicknamed "The Monster," he has established himself as a relentless, precise-punching force in the boxing world. His rise to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings, coupled with his immense popularity, was highlighted by selling out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome before his dominant knockout of Luis Nery in May.

Inoue, boasting a record of 28-0 (25 KOs), appears to be nearing the end of his time in the 122-pound division. Many expect him to comfortably handle Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) before moving on to a major fight in the U.S., which his American promoter, Bob Arum, has hinted at. The likely destination for this future bout is Las Vegas, and speculation is growing that it could lead to a clash with fellow undefeated Japanese boxer and three-division bantamweight champion, Junto Nakatani.

Although Inoue’s previous victories have often been decisive, his last fight left some room for critique. In his seventh-round stoppage of former titleholder TJ Doheny, Inoue was relatively inactive in the early rounds before delivering the fight-ending body shot. Goodman, 26, earned his current IBF ranking with impressive victories over Doheny, Ra’eese Aleem, and Miguel Flores. He recently sharpened his skills with a July 10 win over Thachtana Luangphon, where he claimed a unanimous decision.

Now, all eyes turn to Tokyo, where Inoue aims to further solidify his reign and prepare for the next chapter in his remarkable career.