Naoya Inoue vs. Sam Goodman Hits Complication as IBF Schedules Purse Bid

The IBF have announced that purse bids are scheduled for Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) vs. Sam Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) on Oct. 29 at 12 p.m. ET at its offices in Springfield, New Jersey, as well as on video conference. According to the IBF, the two parties could not reach an agreement by the original date of Sep. 12. Dan Rafael has reported via his Fight Freaks Unite Substack that Goodman’s team was confident the fight would still happen – but there is now a further complication with a rival fighter objecting that he should be next in line to face Inoue.

IBF Schedules Purse Bid for Naoya Inoue vs. Sam Goodman Fight

Sam Goodman’s Team Confident Despite IBF Purse Bid

Inoue retained his undisputed super bantamweight title, with a comfortable seventh-round KO win over TJ Doheny on Sept. 3 in Tokyo. It was widely expected that his next opponent would be the Australian or Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs), the WBA mandatory challenger. The Uzbek’s camp have formally objected to the Goodman-Inoue fight after the WBA allowed “Monster” to step-a-side and face Doheny as an optional title defence.

Fight Freaks Unite obtained a copy of the letter, which was submitted to the IBF by Patrick English, the attorney for Akhmadaliev: “Please be advised that we object, (on) behalf of Murodjon Akhmadaliev to this purse bid and, indeed, Mr. Goodman being the next bout of Mr. Inoue.”  

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The letter continued: “Murodjon Akhmadaliev is the long standing WBA mandatory and in order of sequence the WBA mandatory (long overdue) is next in line. We have demanded that the WBA enforce the mandatory. We do not wish to threaten but we will take legal action if Mr. Inoue attempts to bypass his WBA mandatory.”

It concluded where team Akhmadaliev stand on the potential Goodman-Inoue bout: “If Mr. Inoue wishes to vacate his WBA title then we cannot object to him fighting someone other than Murodjon Akhmadaliev, but as it stands now we object to anyone or any organization interfering with Mr. Akhmadaliev’s rights.”

Goodman Team Confident

No Limit Boxing promoter George Rose recently expressed his complete confidence to Fight Freaks Unite that Goodman would be fighting Inoue next: “Can confirm we are fighting Inoue next.” He continued: “We are just finalizing a deal. Details will come soon. Sam Goodman is mandatory in the WBO and IBF and has done everything to earn this shot. Sam will shock the world in this one.”

Bob Arum has already teased what could be next for Inoue after his planned December 24 fight: “I understand he’ll be coming back here to Tokyo to defend his title again at the end of the year and then we’re taking him to the United States for a big celebration in Las Vegas,” Arum said. 

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Rafael also reveals that any promoters interested in taking part in the Inoue-Goodman purse bid must pay a non-refundable participation fee of $5,000 in addition to putting up 10 percent of their bid. A successful bid will then have to be followed up with an additional payment of 10 percent of their bid amount within five business days following said purse bid.