Order this PPV event now with Main Event on Kayo Sports ><\/a><\/p>\nGoodman falls short in World Title bout | 01:22<\/p>\n
Fox Sports Australia can reveal the Australian also suffered a shoulder injury in the seventh round that effectively prevented him from throwing the right hand through the final five — only adding to what was a performance massive on both grit and technical skill. <\/p>\n
Immediately afterwards, billionaire Saudi promoter Turki Al-Sheikh took to \u2018X\u2019 and wrote: \u201cI thought Sam Goodman did fantastic in his fight with Nick Ball. He showed a lot of skill and the rounds were close. I would love to see more of him on future Riyadh Season and Ring Magazine cards.\u201d<\/p>\n
While there was no arguing the judge who scored it 115-113, the other two cards were ridiculously wide and caused an outpouring of angst on social media, with plenty even suggesting that the underdog had been robbed. <\/p>\n
\u201cBulls***!\u201d No Limit CEO and Goodman\u2019s promoter George Rose posted to X moments after the result was made official.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrave performance from Sammy tonight \u2014 he proved he belongs on the world stage and showed he\u2019s truly world class. I thought the judging was terrible, but we knew going in we weren\u2019t going to get any favours. I didn\u2019t agree with those scorecards at all \u2014 Sammy deserved far better,\u201d Rose added in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cSammy stepped up a division for this world title fight and delivered an exceptional performance. He made Australia proud and showed he\u2019s ready for more big nights like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nick Ball punches Sam Goodman. Photo by Richard Pelham\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Speaking from Saudi Arabia, Goodman\u2019s manager told us immediately afterwards: \u201cWe accept the decision and respect to Nick Ball, but they (the two wide judges) had their scorecards filled out before the fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cAndy Lee had it a draw\u201d.<\/p>\n
After two years as the mandatory for Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue, Goodman was stepping up a division for his first world title shot against the Scouser who was himself on an undefeated tear stretching 23 fights.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the build to this one, Ball had spoken of finishing Goodman with an explosive knock out — and, hopefully, within a round. <\/p>\n
It never came close to happening.<\/p>\n
Instead, Goodman boxed outstandingly, using his famed footwork as he bashed into the champ\u2019s body, then shifted back out \u2013 bang \u2013 worked the jab from range.<\/p>\n
Goodman\u2019s wonderfully technical game plan also ensured Ball continually missed, and while the champ still did land heavy on several occasions, he was never able to load up and throw in volume.<\/p>\n
Put simply, Goodman \u2013 aka The Ghost \u2013 was living up to his moniker.<\/p>\n
Indeed, despite having been cut twice in sparring during Inoue preparations, it was Ball who finished this one with blood trickling from an eye, while Goodman boxed strongly throughout.<\/p>\n
By the finish, it appeared the Australian may have done enough after producing the biggest performance in the biggest fight of his career. <\/p>\n
Instead, the scorecards added more heartache to a devastating eight months for Goodman — that already included being seriously cut in sparring, losing an Inoue blockbuster, plus a $1 million payday, even being forced to steal dog food from Coles.<\/p>\n
Goodman, who lives and trains on the NSW Central Coast, will now likely move back down to super bantamweight, where he was previously ranked No.1 in two different organisations.<\/p>\n
Walking out to Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes \u2013 which has become something of his signature \u2013 the Aussie wore his usual robe and trunks colored purple and gold, a tribute to his old rugby league club in Albion Park.<\/p>\n
On the eve of his first world title fight, Goodman took to social media and posted: \u201cEvery bit of blood, sweat and tears since I started this has been drilled towards this moment. Tomorrow night I turn dreams into reality and take what I\u2019ve worked a lifetime for. #andnew\u201d<\/p>\n
As they awaited referee instructions too, the 28-year-old\u2019s physical advantages over the English champ were as obvious as you\u2019d expect a fella who stands 12cm taller, and with a 4cm reach advantage.<\/p>\n
In the first round, it was Ball who landed heavier, and several times, however Goodman also got busy with the jab and, unsurprisingly, showed good footwork.<\/p>\n
Then in the second round, Goodman improved again, landing solidly early, especially to the body, as the voice of coach Joel Keegan was unmistakable from the corner \u2013 \u201cGood boy, good booooy\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ball, meanwhile, switched stances as the Aussie switched between the jab and getting in with body shots.<\/p>\n
Third round, Goodman again started strong, however then took a Ball shot that dislodged his mouthguard. The pair fought on momentarily before referee Mark Calo-oy then paused proceedings.<\/p>\n
By the finish, it was another strong round for the challenger, who both worked to the body and then jumped back out to get on the jab.<\/p>\n
Fourth round, and again more of the same, although Ball did land heavily late, which the Englishman continued immediately into the fifth, with a big right hand that buckled the Australian.<\/p>\n
However, Goodman responded well and almost did enough to take the round late.<\/p>\n
Nick Ball punches Sam Goodman. Photo by Richard Pelham\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
At the halfway point, the DAZN commentators conceded it was tough to say exactly who was leading, despite Ball entering the bout as a huge favourite \u2013 with Goodman again landing solidly to the body in the sixth, and appearing to take the round, despite Ball responding with a heavy left hook.<\/p>\n
Seventh, and more of the same, with Ball landing a couple of big shots, including most notably a left, while Goodman boxed and moved to an outstanding game plan.<\/p>\n
By the eighth, Goodman seemed right on the cusp of a huge world title upset, landing a heavy jab that appeared to shock the champ, while also sticking solidly to his plan. <\/p>\n
By the end of the ninth, Goodman got a pat on the end by Keegan who demanded his charge not drop any of the final three rounds and do \u201csomething special\u201d.<\/p>\n
As the rounds hit double digits though, the champ picked up his workrate, landing with several combinations against Goodman who, regardless, continued to box and move, as his own famed motor was on full display.<\/p>\n
Into the championship rounds, DAZN analyst Andy Lee had the fighters even.<\/p>\n
Lee said the Aussie had exceeded everyone\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n
Which, of course, excluded the man himself \u2013 who has never considered himself an underdog.<\/p>\n
In the eleventh, the champ appeared to lift again, but as they entered the twelfth \u2013 touching gloves \u2013 it was Goodman who started the strongest, throwing a beautiful combination, before Ball then fired back.<\/p>\n
Then Goodman went to the body. Ball returned. But nothing big enough to move the Australian, who again came back with body shots as the pair stood, centre ring, and traded in what was a last, wonderful, round.<\/p>\n
Within minutes however, the judges would deliver those scorecards that looked nothing like the fight everyone had just witnessed. <\/p>\n
Despite the tough loss, there is no rest for Goodman\u2019s promoters No Limit, who have another undefeated star \u2013 Nikita Tszyu \u2013 headlining his own Main Event pay-per-view in Sydney next Wednesday night against European prospect Lulzim Ismaili (12-0).<\/p>\n
Should The Butcher win, talks are already underway for him to then throw down with Australia\u2019s boxing bad boy Michael Zerafa in December.<\/p>\n
Then in September, Liam Paro headlines an IBF welterweight title eliminator against undefeated Frenchman David Papot.<\/p>\n
Should Paro win the Brisbane fight, his promoters will then look to bring a world title blockbuster Down Under \u2013 with the former champ, eventually, looking to jag a showdown with returned legend Manny Pacquiao.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sam Goodman has been left shaking his head after a bizarre \u2013 and what social media branded ludicrous…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":72129,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[2560,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-72128","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-boxing","8":"tag-boxing","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72128"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72128\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n