Promoter: “We Hope to Bring Naoya Inoue to the USA”

The founder and head of Top Rank, Bob Arum, shared his thoughts on the potential matchup between his client, the undisputed world champion in the super flyweight division Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs), and the mandatory IBF challenger Sam Goodman (19-0, 8 KOs).

The promoter also commented on a letter sent to the International Boxing Federation (IBF) by Patrick English, the attorney for Murodjon Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs)—the mandatory challenger for the WBA title. In the letter, Akhmadaliev’s team opposes the promotional bidding between Inoue and Goodman, asserting that the Uzbek fighter should be the next in line for the title shot.

“Someone in the IBF rushed and sent this letter. Negotiations between Inoue’s team and Goodman’s team are going excellently, and we are almost ready to finalize them. I am very optimistic that the fight will take place on December 24, Christmas Eve, in Tokyo, Japan. If Inoue wins, we hope to bring him to the USA for a big fight in Las Vegas. I know that Top Rank President Todd DuBoef has been having important discussions with Bill Hornbuckle, the head of MGM, regarding holding this fight in April,” said Arum.

On September 3, Inoue stopped TJ Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs) with a technical knockout in the seventh round. In July, Sam Goodman defeated Thachtana Luangphon (25-1-1, 15 KOs) by unanimous decision.