Inoue's new fight was confirmed: Ahmadaliyev is not the opponent

Naoya Inoue, the Japanese professional boxer and undisputed world champion in the super bantamweight division, will face Australia's mandatory challenger, Sam Goodman, under the IBF title. The announcement was made by Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Promotions, on social media.

According to the announcement, the Inoue-Goodman bout is scheduled for December 24 in Japan. Meanwhile, Murodjon Ahmadaliyev from Uzbekistan remains the mandatory contender for the WBA belt in the same weight class.

Inoue is also planning a future bout with WBC champion Junto Nakatani in the United States in the second half of 2025. As of now, the Japanese champion has no plans to face Ahmadaliyev.

It is worth noting that Ahmadaliyev had previously filed a complaint regarding a potential fight against Inoue. In the complaint, Ahmadaliyev's lawyer, Pat English, claimed that Inoue was avoiding a mandatory defense fight, which Ahmadaliyev is entitled to, thereby violating his rights.