Sam Goodman rolls the dice against Chainoi Worawut as December Naoya Inoue fight looms

Junior featherweight contender Sam “The Ghost” Goodman will risk a mandated shot at undisputed 122-pound champion Naoya Inoue when he takes on tough Thailander Chainoi “The Rockman” Worawut at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, NSW, Australia, next Wednesday night.

The fight is do-or-die for Goodman. A loss for the 25-year-old Australian from Albion Park will put him at the back of the queue; a win will merely see him hold his position.

So why take the fight? 

“It was always on the cards, and it looked like there was an opportunity for me to fight for the world title next. That’s pretty much the reason behind it,” said Goodman (18-0, 8 KOs) to The Ring. 

“As you’ve seen over the last 12 months, I like to stay active. I train year-round. And after the last fight as well, I thought it would be another good test to fight someone who was world-class and get back in there with a world-level opponent before I take on the likes of Inoue.”

Goodman has always kept a busy schedule. Apart from the first year of COVID-19 in 2020, he has boxed at least three times a year throughout his career. Last year, he picked up the gloves four times, defeating Ring-ranked contenders Ra’eese Aleem (20-1, 12 KOs) and TJ Doheny (26-4, 20 KOs), as well as claiming the scalps of Miguel Flores (25-5-1, 12 KOs) and Zhong Liu (19-1, 7 KOs). All of those wins were on points.

Activity matters in this sport. 

“It’s not about skills deteriorating or anything, it’s just about building and building on what I’ve already done and having a hard hit-out before I reach the biggest fight of my life. That’s really what this is about,” said The Ring’s No. 4-ranked junior featherweight contender, who is coming off a fourth-round knockout of Mark Schleibs in March.

“It’s another good, tough test; getting through it and passing with flying colors before moving on to the biggest fight of my life.” 

Bangkok’s Worawut, aka Thachtana Luangphon (25-0-1, 15 KOs), will not be making the trip out to Australia simply for a free holiday and a packet of cream biscuits. The battle-hardened ex-Muay Thai fighter has a big right hand and a jarring short left hook, weapons that the 27-year-old will be looking to land against Goodman in what will be his first boxing bout outside of his homeland.

“He doesn’t have a bad eye and he’s quite composed in there as well,” Goodman said of his opponent. “He’s quite calm, but I don’t think he’s faced too much adversity in his career. I think I’ve got more than enough skills to frustrate anyone in the division. Not just to frustrate them, but to really make them second guess what they are doing in the ring. I think there are a lot of things that I can capitalize on.

“My strength, I think, will be being able to control the pace of the fight and where it takes place as well.”

In a recent interview with Wasim Mather on this website, Worawut spoke of Goodman’s abilities as a boxer.

“Sam Goodman is a good fighter with fast footwork. He always waits to counterattack and has a great lead hand,” he said.

“It’s just like another fight. For more than two months, I trained at 100%. My goal is to fight Inoue; it’s my dream, but I need to win the fight against Goodman first.”

There is a lot of pressure on both boxers going into this fight with the biggest prize in the lighter weight classes awaiting the winner.

“Beating me will change the course of Worawut’s career,” said Goodman. “I’m aware of that. Like I said before, I just focus on myself and what I need to do.

“I’m not too concerned about whatever he is thinking or whatever sort of pressures he’s putting on himself. I just focus on getting the job done and getting it done well. That’s where my head’s at right now. 

“I’m not overthinking it. I’m just enjoying fight week again, fighting a bloke in my hometown in what could be my last fight here for a little bit, but who knows? I’m just enjoying everything that comes with it. But I’m pretty focused on this one. I’m in the best shape of my career and I’ve done everything right, so I’m not taking any chances.”

Japanese superstar Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), The Ring Magazine No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The 31-year-old from Yokohama is expected to go around again in September, with the resurgent southpaw Doheny considered a potential opponent. The 37-year-old Australian-based Irishman has successfully built a profile for himself in Japan with three straight early knockout wins against solid opposition in the past year.

Speaking to Fox Sports Australia in late May, Inoue’s American co-promoter, Bob Arum, expanded on the plan for the 122-pound world champion.

“The plan is for Inoue to fight again in Japan this September. And then depending on how everything breaks down from there, he would fight again at the end of the year, maybe in Riyadh,” the Top Rank head honcho said.

“And both Sam Goodman and the Irish kid (Doheny) are great opponents. I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with Sam this week in Tokyo and was very impressed with him and his demeanor. So whether he fights Inoue in September or December, I don’t know.

“But he certainly will be fighting Inoue this year.”

Goodman knows what he is risking by facing Worawut, but he believes he will be better for the hit-out when the Inoue bout comes around in five months’ time.

“That’s the plan. Our plan has always been to get the December fight against him. That’s what we’re aiming towards. Everything I’ve done this year is a step towards that ultimate goal,” Goodman said.

“It’s in the back of my mind and it pushes me every day. It’s close, but there’s still plenty of work to do. And it starts on July 10th as well. I’ve got another guy I’ve got to get through, and once I do get through him, it’s full focus on that December date.”

Australian-based boxing journalist Anthony Cocks has been covering the sport for over 20 years for various print and online publications.

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