On Tuesday, the IBF ordered the undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue for an October 29 purse bid to defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger, Australia’s Sam Goodman. The ‘Monster’ was instructed to begin negotiations on September 12 with Goodman, giving them 28 days to reach a deal. However, no agreement, between the teams has been reached yet.

So, a purse bid hearing is now set to determine which promotional company will get the right to Inoue’s next bout. With the purse offers set to open at noon ET on Tuesday, October 29, every promoter registered with the IBF can file a bid to promote the fight. Of course, Naoya’s promoters Top Rank & Ohashi Promotions as well as Goodman’s No Limit Boxing are expected to be present at the auction. 

According to a tweet from Ring Magazine’s Jake Donovan, “Naoya Inoue will reportedly next fight on Christmas Eve [December 24] in Tokyo. The assumption was that it would come vs. Sam Goodman, the unbeaten IBF mandatory challenger.” However, in the meantime, WBA No.1 contender Murodjon Akhmadaliev seems to have filed a complaint against WBA. Why?

“Looks like the #LawsuitHeads are now prepared to go to war with the #PurseBidHeads. [I was] told that Murodjon Alhmadaliev’s [representatives] have officially filed a complaint objecting to being passed over in sanctioning body mandatory rotation. Argument is that WBA was due before IBF,” Donovan wrote. The point of contention here seems to be that Akhmadaliev feels that he was supposed to face Naoya Inoue long before Goodman.

Akhmadaliev last appeared in the ring back in December last year against Kevin Gonzalez in a WBA title eliminator after taking his sole loss against Marlon Tapales in April 2023. Since then, he has largely been inactive due to the expectation that being the mandatory challenger under WBA, he would get to face the champion for the super bantamweight crown. On the other hand, Goodman has also been waiting over a year to get a shot at Inoue, having defeated Ra’eese Aleem in their June 2023 title eliminator to become the No. 1 contender for the IBF.

The undefeated Goodman has since fought four times while awaiting his crack at the ‘Monster.’ It’s believed that with an expected victory against Goodman, Inoue is angling towards a mega fight against compatriot and unbeaten bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani. Inoue is also expected to move to featherweight, where he will find four champions to conquer the division. 

Meanwhile, Murodjon Akhmadaliev’s attorney has shed more light on the complaint filed against the WBA. 

Murodjon Akhmadaliev wants Naoya Inoue to relinquish the WBA title 

According to a report from Boxing Scene, Akhmadaliev’s attorney, Pat English said, “Two fights ago, [the WBA] gave [Inoue] a special exception to fight someone other than Akhmadaliev [Mexico’s Luis Nery].” He argues it’s been a long time since WBA mandatory’s turn to face Inoue, and they are unwilling to go “gently into that good night.”

“Inoue either gives up that [WBA] title or there’s going to be litigation,” English added. While the WBA themselves haven’t taken any action to enforce Akhmadaliev as the next in line, English stated in a letter sent to all the sanctioning bodies, “We do not wish to threaten but we will take legal action if Mr. Inoue attempts to bypass his WBA mandatory.”

That being said, it seems like the undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue has to make a decision. Either proceed with his fight against Goodman while relinquishing his WBA title or opt to fight Akhmadaliev. Only time will tell what’s next for the ‘Monster.’ Who do you think deserves a shot at Inoue first?