Goodman Withdraws from Inoue Title Fight Again

Sam Goodman has withdrawn for the second time from his scheduled fight against Naoya Inoue, the undisputed super-bantamweight world champion, due to a recurring eye injury. The bout was initially set for December 24 in Tokyo but was postponed to January 24 after Goodman suffered a cut above his left eye during sparring. Unfortunately, the injury reopened, requiring plastic surgery and a recovery period of approximately six months. Inoue, who boasts a 28-0 record with 25 knockouts, is now seeking a new opponent with two weeks' notice. Despite the setback, Inoue plans to defend his titles and is expected to fight in the United States in the spring. Goodman's withdrawal raises questions about his standing with boxing sanctioning bodies, as he was the mandatory challenger for Inoue's WBO and IBF titles.