Sam Goodman sustained a cut above his left eye that required four stitches during a training session on Saturday morning, December 14 in Sydney. As a result, his super bantamweight title bout with unbeaten, undisputed champion Naoya Inoue has been postponed.
The fight, which was set for December 24 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena, has already been rescheduled.
Therefore, it will be the first blockbuster fight of 2025 to be held in Japan.
Inoue vs Goodman is now penciled in for January 24 at the same venue.
The 31-year-old Inoue will be making his 24th consecutive appearance in a world title bout, a significant reminder of his sustained excellence in the upper echelon of the sport.
Goodman described the injury as a "freak accident" during what was to be his final sparring session before he traveled to Japan for the Christmas Eve fight, according to Australian media reports.
Naoya Inoue Reacts to Opponent's Injury
How did Inoue react to the news?
He issued a short declaration on X (formerly Twitter): "Let's fight each other at our best."
Additional time to fight could be a blessing in disguise for Inoue.
"I think it is only positive for me that they will give me another month to prepare [to face Goodman]," Inoue posted on X on Saturday.
He added, "I will prepare the best and show you the best match possible."
In his most recent fight on September 3 against Irish foe TJ Dohey, Inoue recorded a seventh-round technical knockout at Ariake Arena.
Inoue is 28-0 with 25 knockouts and is recognized globally as one of boxing's elite pound-for-pound fighters. He was named The Ring magazine's 2023 Fighter of the Year.
Goodman Says He's 'Absolutely Devastated'
Goodman, 26, is 19-0 with eight KOs. The Australian is the IBF's and WBO's top-ranked contender. He is coming off a July 10 unanimous-decision victory over Thai opponent Thachtana Luangphon in Wollongong, Australia.
"I'm absolutely devastated to be doing this," Goodman said of the postponement of his fight with Inoue. He said his team wouldn't let him face Inoue while compromised by the injury.
Goodman also issued an apology in a short video message on his Instagram page: "I just want to say sorry to everyone who's coming over [to Japan]. And I know how hard it was to make that decision to come over and support me, especially this time of year."
He continued: "And sorry to everyone in Japan who's also excited for this fight, and to Inoue and his team as well. I know they would've been preparing hard for a good fight. [And] I just don't want my opportunity to go anywhere, I want to fight this guy."
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- Naoya Inoue to Fight Sam Goodman on Christmas Eve
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Naoya Inoue Returns to the Ring with Laser-Sharp Focus
- Naoya Inoue Defends Super Bantamweight Titles with a 7th-Round TKO of TJ Doheny
Soccer
Ex-Frontale Manager Oniki Hired to Lead the Antlers
Toru Oniki, the most successful manager in J.League history, was not without a team for long.
Just days after the 2024 J.League season wrapped up, it was revealed that the departing Kawasaki Frontale boss has been tapped to lead the Kashima Antlers.
The 2025 season will begin with the four-time J.League title-winning manager calling the shots for a team that finished in fifth place in 2024 with 18 wins, 11 draws and nine defeats. In 2024, the Antlers finished seven points behind title-winning Vissel Kobe.
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Nielsen Appointed Nadeshiko Japan Boss
Nils Nielsen has been named the new manager of the Japan women's national team.
The Japan Football Association made the announcement on Thursday, December 13.
In his most recent job, the 53-year-old Dane worked as director of football for Manchester City's women's team.
Now, he is Futoshi Ikeda's successor for Nadeshiko Japan. He will be the first foreign manager to lead the team, which won the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Nielsen was the runner-up in the 2017 FIFA Women's Coach of the Year balloting. He was nominated for the honor after leading Denmark to a second-place finish at that year's Women's World Cup. Nielsen led the Switzerland national team from 2018-22.
With Ikeda at the helm, Japan was eliminated in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Up first for Nielsen and Japan: The 2025 She Believes Cup in February in the United States. Australia, Colombia and Team USA will also participate.
Golf
Yamashita, Quartet of Japanese Compatriots Earn LPGA Tour Cards for 2025
Miyuu Yamashita won the LPGA Q-Series final qualifying stage on Tuesday, December 10 in Mobile, Alabama, to earn her LPGA Tour card for the 2025 season.
Yamashita completed the five-round qualifying event with an 8-under 64 in the final round at Magnolia Grove Golf Course. She shot 27-under 331 to finish atop the leaderboard.
"I'm excited I can play on the LPGA Tour next year, and then I'm excited to play with all other members, too," Yamashita said, according to the LPGA's official website. "So, I'll be preparing well and then play my best next year."
Yamashita, 23, was the JLPGA Tour's money leader in 2022 and 2023. She's captured 13 tournament titles in Japan and is No 14 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.
Japanese twins Akie Iwai and Chisato Iwai, Yuri Yoshida and Saki Baba also earned their LPGA Tour cards for the upcoming season.
Chisato Iwai had the best round of the Japanese golfers in the LPGA Q-Series, carding a 62 in the fourth round. She was the runner-up to Yamashita at 21-under 337. Akie Iwai tied for seventh at 16-under 342. Yoshida placed ninth at 13-under 345, while 19-year-old Baba, Japan's youngest golfer in the event, was 24th at 6-under 352.
Yoshida Reflects on the 3-Week Qualifying Process
After the final round wrapped up, Yoshida, a 24-year-old Chiba Prefecture native, expressed satisfaction after securing her tour card through qualifying for the second straight year.
"I'm happy to be able to play in the LPGA again next year!" Yoshida wrote on Instagram. "It was a very tough three weeks, but I did my best. Definitely I might not have achieved my goals by myself. I'm grateful to all of you for your support."
At the LPGA Q-Series, 10 players secured rookie status for 2025.
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Track and Field
Kitaguchi Named Recipient of the Japan Sports Awards' Grand Prize
Olympic medal-winning javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi is the winner of the 73rd Japan Sports Awards' most prestigious honor, it was announced on Thursday, December 11.
The popular athlete, who captured the gold at the 2024 Paris Games, will be honored with the grand prize at the annual Japan Sports Awards on January 16, 2025.
Kitaguchi also triumphed at the Diamond League Final on September 14 in Brussels.
The 26-year-old, who is also the reigning world champ in her event, was delighted to be selected for the grand prize.
"I'm thrilled that I was chosen from among so many achievements that happened at the Olympics, Paralympics and other sporting events," Kitaguchi said, according to The Yomiuri Shimbun.
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Briefly…
The Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka, a B.League second-division squad, extended their winning streak to 14 with a 78-58 triumph over the Toyama Grouses on Saturday, December 14. Joshua Smith paced Fukuoka (16-6) with 16 points and Taichi Nakamura and Andrew "Scootie" Randall had 15 apiece in the basketball match.
Quote of the Week
"I was truly surprised. It made no errors and played in a stable manner, so I thought the technology was incredible. [But] I was made to work somewhat hard because I began to feel that I had to return all the shots."
―Table tennis player Miwa Harimoto, a 2024 Paris Olympian, said after facing ninth-generation Forpheus robot in an exhibition at Tokyo Big Sight on December 13, The Asahi Shimbun reported.
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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