Sam Goodman is under pressure to retain his status as a top contender after losing his title fight with undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue due to injury.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri told BoxingScene on Wednesday that Goodman was being served with a provisional medical certificate to account for his recovery time from a training camp injury that resulted in a cut to his left eyelid. Injured and withdrew from the game against Inoue in Tokyo on January 24.
Olivieri said Australia’s Goodman, 19-0 (eight KOs), has 10 days to respond and provide details about the injury, his prognosis and what his doctor said. instructions indicating whether he can return to fighting within six months.
If Goodman or his doctors assess that he is unable to fight again within six months, Goodman will be demoted from the WBO’s No. 1 ranking and lose his mandatory status.
“If he can be ready in six months, there will be no problem at all,” Olivieri said. “But we need to keep the sector active.”
Goodman was first forced to postpone his scheduled match with Inoue on Christmas Eve due to a cut on his left eye, but the wound reopened after resuming training and he withdrew, leaving Inoue to fight 28-0 (25 KOs). The substitute player competed on January 24, South Korean player Jin Yejun, 21-2-2 (13 KOs).
Goodman currently remains the IBF’s number one mandatory contender.
Meanwhile, Inoue eschewed his No. 1 pick, WBA No. 1 fighter and former unified champion Murod “MJ” Ahmedaev, drawing the attention of Ahmedaev’s attorney. English’s complaint.
In a letter to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, English wrote:
“Dear Gilberto: We see Mr. Goodman injured again. We also learn that Mr. Inoue is looking for a replacement. Your interim WBA champion is ready, willing and able to fight, but Mr. Inoue has sidestepped him again. Will the WBA support Mr. Ahmedliyev? “Pat English.
Mendoza told BoxingScene last month that he would not accept Inoue competing in a planned spring fight without stripping him of his WBA belt, but Inoue’s promoter Bob Arum said there is a scenario in which Inoue would first Fighting Allen Picasso in the spring in the U.S. and then moving on to a fight after that, maybe in Saudi Arabia, with Akhmedaliyev.
Saudi Arabian power broker Turki Alalshikh said in a social media post on Tuesday that he was in advanced talks with several fighters, including Inoue, about fighting this year.
