Sam Goodman Passes Test, Turns Attention To Naoya Inoue

Headlining in his hometown of Wollongong for a second time in 2024, WBO and IBF number one contender at super bantamweight, Sam Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs) has thwarted off a spirited effort from Thailand’s Chainoi Worawut (25-1-1, 15 KOs) to claim a 12 round unanimous decision (117-111, 117-113, 119-109). The 25-year-old battled through a suspected broken left hand for the majority of the bout to keep his hopes of a showdown with undisputed champion Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) on track.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by No Limit Boxing (@nolimit_aus)

From the opening bell, Goodman set about establishing his jab against the tough Thai, and while finding immediate success, he was met by several counter right hands to close the first. Worawut continued plying his trade at the beginning of the second, adding the left hook to the body and head to his arsenal in the process. By the end of the stanza and into the third, however, Goodman visibly looked more comfortable, establishing an evasive distance and throwing his own scoring right hand. Yet “The Rockman” did not let the Australian find his groove, finishing the frame the more aggressive fighter, finding success at close range with sharp combinations.

When the fourth round came to a close, a pattern had clearly emerged, with Goodman endeavoring to land clean, straight punches from a distance while Worawut worked hard to slip past the lead hand and land damaging shots to both the body and head. As a result, the first third of the affray had produced a neck-and-neck battle, which only seemed closer after another pair of back-and-forth rounds where both combatants increased their already high punch volume.

Sensing the need to go to another level in the second half of the fight, Goodman dialed up his aggression in rounds seven and eight. Almost uncharacteristically, “The Ghost” began to exchange at close range more frequently, at times walking towards Worawut and throwing three and four-punch combinations.

The pressure of Goodman became a telling factor as the fight moved into the ninth, and for the first time, the resolute Worawut showed signs of slowing down, having been rocked multiple times by the straight right. Still, the Bangkok native continued to adjust to the tempo and, by starting the tenth in the southpaw stance, briefly wrestled back momentum with a heavy combination that jacked the home fighter’s head back. The damaging blows appeared to inspire Goodman though, who soon found his rhythm at distance and closed the period strong with heavy blows of his own. Continuing on this trajectory, Goodman was at his elusive best over the championship rounds, carving out six minutes characterized by strong head movement and combination punching.

During the post-fight interview, Goodman quickly credits Worawut’s performance while also touching on the adversity he faced throughout the night. “Tough opponent, real tough. I said the whole time, he’s world-rated, he’s undefeated, he is for a reason. He tested the hands out there. They went pretty early on his hard head, but give him a round of applause,” Goodman told Main Event’s Ben Damon.“We’re in Wollongong. They say the house always wins, and this is my f*****g house. He ain’t beating me.

It (left hand) was hurting in about round four or six, and later in the fight, I felt it go even more. We’ll go get that scanned and go suss that out, but look, it shouldn’t be putting me out for too long. I’ll be back in there and looking to be out by year’s end for the world title. We want ‘The Monster’ (Inoue), we’re coming for him. We’ll go and get this hand looked at, and we’ll sort it out. Let’s go.”

Moments later, a more analytical Goodman joined the broadcast desk to break down his performance. “I’ve got to be better. I think he was a bit messy, and I probably should’ve stayed a bit more organized at times, but that’s learning, and I continue to learn,” he told Megan Barnard. “That’s why I’m taking these fights. I could stay in the gym and tick over, tick over and tick over, but I want to put myself out there, put myself on show, and test myself.”

With Worawut now in the rear-view mirror, the eyes of both Goodman and Australia collectively turn to Inoue, who appears slated to defend his titles against TJ Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs) in September.

Undercard Results

Preceding Goodman’s win, former professional rugby league player Curtis Scott (3-0, 3 KOs) made short work of fellow cross-code star, Australian rules football superstar Barry Hall (0-2-1) in the evening’s co-main event. Over 20 years, his rival’s junior, the 26-year-old, needed only a handful of right hands to close the show. In victory, Scott appears destined for future crossover fights, with a potential Sonny Bill Williams (9-1, 4 KOs) meeting being bandied around.

In what may have been the most anticipated bout of the card among boxing fans, two-time super featherweight world title challenger Liam Wilson (14-3, 8 KOs) was forced to rally in his lightweight debut before eventually stopping Youseff Dib (21-2, 11 KOs) with a vicious left hook in the eighth. Dib started proceedings in a fast-moving manner, proving an elusive customer for his world-level opponent. By the time the middle of the contest rolled around, however, the combination of distance management, power punching, and bodywork seemed to be the deciding factors for Wilson.

Yet the toughness of Dib, backed by a pinpoint counter straight right, began to turn the tide in rounds six and seven. Not willing to let things get away from him, though, Wilson landed a well-timed counter hook that spelled the end for the game Dib. In the aftermath of the brutal affair, “Mr. Damage” was quick to mention his desire to meet former unified 135-pound world champion George Kambosos Jr. (21-3, 10 KOs) in a domestic clash that would certainly be well-received domestically.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Main Event (@maineventtv)

Mounir Fathi (7-1, 7 KOs) wasted no time in his meeting with Anton Markovic (5-2, 2 KOs), securing a first-round stoppage to return to the winner’s circle. The hard-hitting Moroccan scored two knockdowns before finishing a still-wobbled Markovic on his feet, all within 131 seconds of the opening bell.

On paper, the six-round contest between heavyweight knockout artists Brandon Grach (3-0, 2 KOs) and John Maila (6-1, 5 KOs) appeared almost certain to finish inside the distance. A well-executed trademark left hook detonated late in the third by the 30-year-old Grach all but turned the forgone conclusion into reality. Having been rocked earlier himself by numerous overhand rights, “The Bull” pounced on the wobbled Malia, unloading against the ropes until the referee intervened. The win marks a triumphant return to the ring for Grach, who had not fought since his viral knockout of Liam Talivaa (6-1, 2 KOs) in November 2023.

The main card opener saw Billy Polkinghorn (2-0, 1 KO) put Jordan Kasilieris (1-3-1, 1 KO) on the canvas twice on the way to a unanimous decision win (50-43, 49-44, 49-45). The amateur standout showed off an array of punches and natural power throughout the fight but was made to work hard across the 15 minutes by an ultra-tough Kasilieris, who refused to stop moving forward. With valuable rounds banked, “The Hammer” looks set to continue his steady development and appears an interesting prospect at super lightweight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by No Limit Boxing (@nolimit_aus)

Liahm O'Brien

Liahm O’Brien is a boxing writer based in Australia. His work focuses on all levels of fighting, with interviews from boxers making their way in the game, to those competing for titles on major shows across the world. He has written for local online publications, The Inner Sanctum and Fight News Australia, and is a regular guest on The Unofficial Scorecard Podcast.

See author's posts