Wollongong is now the official destination of choice for Sam Goodman's looming world title challenge after Albion Park's favourite son locked in a challenge for Filipino Marlon Tapales WBA and IBF championship belts.
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Goodman became the mandatory challenger for the latter in defeating rugged American Ra'eese Aleem over 12 rounds on Sunday, claiming victory 117-110 and 116-112 on two cards.
A third judge produced a highly questionable 116-112 card in favour of Aleem, but it took no shine off the victory that was the 24-year-old's first as an underdog.
"I was listening to everyone before it, all the commentators, they weren't too sure I was at that level," Goodman said post-fight.
"There were a lot of people that doubted me and it fuelled me. I know how good I am and I showed glimpses of it today. I just beat a bloke that no one wants to fight, ranked amongst all the governing bodies.
"Like he said, all the top fighters of this division, they didn't want to fight him, they didn't want this fight. He was an avoided fighter, so people were worried about this fight.
"I know I'm at that level, I'm ready to beat world champions and I'm going to do it. There's no two ways about it, Marlon Tapales, I beat him every day of the week. I'm coming for him guns blazing.
"I want him, and I want him in Wollongong. The only person who gets more support than me is Timmy Tsyzu and look what he's doing, he's a freak. I'm enjoying every minute of it and, my next fight, you're going to see me be a world champion.
"I'll be back in the gym very shortly. I'll let this cut heal up, but I'll still be working. I want this, I want this fight this year. His next fight should be me, so I want to bring him to Wollongong and take those two belts off him."
A bout at the WEC would see Goodman fight next door to the Steelers club where, not all that long ago, he was supplementing modest boxing income pulling beers.
It certainly seemed a pipe dream back then, but No Limit CEO George Rose says it's now "absolutely" the No. 1 priority location to host the world title showdown.
"That's absolutely what we'll be pushing for," Rose said.
"I think when you've got a, a kid like Sam Goodman, a homegrown kid like that, it's not often you get talent coming out of your area like that who can fight on the world stage.
"You've got Volk (UFC champion Alex Volkanovski) down there, you've got Sammy Goodman representing boxing down there. It'd be great that we could have a world champion fighting there and that's what we will absolutely push for.
"He already had us sold. I just can't give him too much [beforehand], treat him mean keep him keen, but I've always been sold on Sammy fighting in Wollongong.
"I'm that proud of what he achieved today. I honestly thought that Ra'eese Aleem was one of the better guys in the division. I thought he'd win that world title opportunity if it came, and I thought if Sam could do what he did today, then that shows that he's ready to take that title too.
"If we're going to do it, let's do it here. What we see from the Mad Bunch now, it'll grow in droves a bit like the Blatchy's Blues (NSW Origin support crew) if we get it on down there in Wollongong."
An event of that magnitude would likely require government and venue support, but the WEC previously played host to a No Limit show in April 2021 when Paul Gallen sensationally KO'd former interim world champion Lucas Browne.
"To make it happen, to bring world titles to Australia, is very expensive and it's good if we can get support to be able to make that happen, because that's what we want to make happen," Rose said.
"We deserve to have our homegrown stars be able to fight in front of their own fans. Rather than having to travel around the world and face adversity all around the world, you want them to have the opportunity to be the best that they can be."
The win wasn't without some nervous moments, with the split decision call based on an outlying scorecard from Japanese judge Masakuza Murabe that gave Aleem the final two rounds that were among Goodman's strongest.
"It was crazy," Goodman said.
"I thought I won eight rounds to four. The last six rounds, how do you give him a round out of that? I was going forward, I was hurting him. I was shocked.
"I couldn't believe [the scorecard] to be honest, but it is what it is. The right decision came out. There was no doubt in my mind that I won."
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