Sam Goodman takes on Mark Schleibs with his sight set on bigger goals in 2024
Nothing seems to faze Sam Goodman, not even Mark Schleibs.
Goodman, rated No. 4 by The Ring at 122 pounds, and Schleibs will square off Wednesday night at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia. The 10-round bout will air live on Main Event Pay-Per-View, beginning at 7 p.m. AEDT.
At Tuesday’s weigh-in, Goodman weighed in at 121.92 pounds. Schleibs came in at 120.33 pounds. After the weigh-in, during the traditional stare-down, Schleibs suddenly shoved Goodman. Officials, security, and members of each team stepped in to separate both fighters.
Leading up to the weigh-in, Schleibs has attempted to get under the skin of Goodman. Last week, Schleibs showed up to a gym, where Goodman was training during an open media workout. Tuesday, prior to the weigh-in, Schleibs recorded himself drinking a beer.
Goodman has shown a lot of restraint leading up to Wednesday’s bout. With a possible opportunity to face Ring junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue, Goodman understands he has everything to lose, but is eager to make an example of Schleibs.
“Tomorrow night, I get to put my hands on him,” Goodman told The Ring on Tuesday. “He’s tried to get into my head with all his talk, but arguing with Mark Schleibs is like arguing with a child. I get to do a job on him in front of my hometown friends and family and move on to bigger and better things. He should be thanking me for making him relevant because, after this, he’s back to being a nobody.
Sam Goodman (left) and Mark Schleibs (right) got into a heated argument during the weigh-in for their upcoming bout – Photo courtesy of No Limit Boxing
“I’m going to keep active and keep fighting. There’s no point waiting around and there’s still plenty of fights to be made in my division. I’m ready for the call whenever it comes from the WBO or Inoue or whoever, but I won’t be kicking back and putting my feet up. I’ll knock out the ‘Mouthpiece from Melbourne’ (Schleibs) and then move on to the next one. I’ve told Matt and George (No Limit Boxing) to keep the wheels spinning as 2024 is my year.”
George Rose, the CEO of No Limit Boxing, admits matching Goodman tough, but believes he will make a statement and be ready to face the likes of Inoue later this year.
“All the pressure is on Sam because he’s the man, it’s all about him this time,” Rose told The Ring Tuesday. “He’s headlining a pay-per-view (telecast) at the biggest arena in his hometown against a guy like Mark Schleibs, who talks to talk, but has shown he has the knockout power to unravel everything Sam has worked his entire career for.
“There’s huge pressure and huge risk. Pressure makes diamonds though and this is what he needs, this is what will help him grow even more as a fighter.
“We’ve put Sam in an uncomfortable position for a reason. He needs to face these tests, if he’s to potentially travel to Japan later in the year because a fight against Inoue is going to be uncomfortable for him.”
Goodman (17-0, 7 knockouts) resides in Wollongong, about a 25-minute drive from Albion Park.
The 25-year-old has been very active, defeating solid opposition along the way. Goodman fought four times in 2023.
In his last bout on December 15, Goodman defeated Zhong Liu by decision over 12 one-sided rounds. Goodman scored the most impressive win, to date, as a pro on June 18, defeating Ra’eese Aleem by split decision. The win over Aleem took place over three months after Goodman defeated TJ Doheny by unanimous decision.
Aleem and Doheny are currently rated No. 6 and 9, respectively, by The Ring.
The 30-year-old Schelibs (13-2 9 KOs), who resides in Melbourne, knocked out Shamal Ram Anuj in the fifth round of his last bout on November 22. The win over Anuj snapped back-to-back knockout defeats to Brock Jarvis in December 2020 and to Rocky Ogden on June 18.
In the co-feature bout, fringe middleweight contender Isaac Hardman (15-2, 13 KOs) of Brisbane, Australia will square off against Endry Saavedra in a 10-round bout.
Saavedra (15-1, 12 KOs) is originally from Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela and now resides in Tijuana, Mexico.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at santio89@yahoo.com
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