Sam Goodman and Ryosuke Nishida have been ordered to barter a fight for the interim IBF super bantamweight title, with the winner moving into position for a future showdown against undisputed champion Naoya Inoue.
The IBF has given each camps 30 days to succeed in an agreement before the bout proceeds to purse bids.
Goodman (22-1, 8 KOs) enters the matchup ranked No. 2 by the IBF. The Australian contender twice saw scheduled fights with Inoue collapse after suffering cuts during training camps in late 2024 and early 2025.
After moving up in weight and losing to Nick Ball, Goodman returned to the super bantamweight division and has won two straight bouts to work his way back into title contention.
Nishida (11-1, 2 KOs), the IBF’s No. 1-ranked contender, previously held the organization’s bantamweight title. The Osaka native’s only skilled defeat got here against fellow Japanese standout Junto Nakatani.
Australian broadcaster Important Event announced the event on social media.
“IBF has officially mandated an interim IBF World Super Bantamweight Title fight between Australia’s Sam Goodman (22-1, 8 KOs) and Japan’s Ryosuke Nishida (11-1, 2 KOs), with the winner to face undisputed pound-for-pound king Naoya Inoue.”
Inoue stays the IBF’s full champion while continuing his reign because the undisputed king at 122 kilos. The creation of an interim title ensures the division keeps moving while preserving the opportunity of Goodman finally securing the chance that slipped away twice before.
For Nishida, the fight offers a probability to reclaim championship status in a second weight class. For Goodman, it represents one other route back toward the Inoue matchup that has eluded him for nearly two years.
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Last Updated on 2026/06/15 at 12:06 PM