Naoya Inoue's Next Title Defense in the Works

Naoya Inoue, the undisputed super bantamweight champion, could be heading to Australia for his next fight if he successfully defends his titles against Luis Nery. No Limit Boxing, based in Australia, is planning to extend an offer to Inoue to defend his titles against Sam Goodman, the mandatory challenger from the IBF and WBO, should he emerge victorious against Nery.

Inoue's reputation as one of the world's best fighters was solidified by his stoppage victory over Stephen Fulton Jr in July 2023. George Rose, the chief executive of No Limit Boxing, believes that securing a fight with Inoue would be a significant achievement for Australian boxing and sports in general.

Rose compared Inoue to Manny Pacquiao in terms of global appeal, highlighting Inoue's ability to draw large crowds and global attention to his fights. He emphasized the unique challenge that Goodman poses to Inoue, describing him as a fighter who is difficult to hit and confident in his abilities.

The potential fight between Inoue and Goodman would add to the growing list of high-profile boxing events taking place in Australia, including Devin Haney's victories over George Kambosos Jr in 2022 and Vasyl Lomachenko's upcoming fight against Kambosos Jr in Perth on May 12.

With Tim Tszyu set to headline against Keith Thurman on March 30 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Australian boxing is experiencing a resurgence, reminiscent of the era of Kostya Tszyu's dominance in the sport.