Sam Goodman is bloody but unbroken, IVIC Vs. Vousiutu erupts into a full war
Sam Goodman’s world title ambition is still alive – barely.
The undefeated Australian returned to Sydney’s Hodern Pavilion Wednesday night, bringing the dominant yet gritty decision victory over Mexico’s Cesar Vaca. That was supposed to be a nice tuning. Instead, Goodman covered the ring with blood and sewed it back together, but there was a W on the board.
The judges won it 100-90, 99-91, and 99-92. There is no controversy. Only damage.
Goodman was ranked top in the super bantamweight division. Earlier this year, he was to face Naoyanoue, a weight class monster, until a nasty training camp cut killed his dream. This fight was about reestablishing momentum and bringing his name back to the mix.
He did that. But it’s not without drama.
Goodman packed a sharp box in the first half, determined the pace, landing clean bodywork, and Vaca didn’t get any footing. However, as the rounds wore it, the fight became troubling. Goodman suffered Two separate cuts – In the middle of one, one is delayed because there is a malicious accidental headbutt above the eye. Blood flowed. The fans were breathless. Goodman continued punching.
He managed the final round like a pro, staying behind the jab, staying disciplined and not building hope in Vaca.
Currently 20-0, Goodman remains the top name in the division other than Inoue.
After the fight, Goodman held back tears when he addressed his support group, Crazy bunchand looked back at what he called the wildest six months of his life. His words were not polished. They didn’t have to be. The emotions were enough.
He wants Inoue. And whether it was next or another, Goodman came back to the conversation.
Garside wins a comeback against Bell to shake up the ring ending
In his co-star, Harry Garside, the gold medalist in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, has been a long wait for professional boxing three years after the game. And he wasted no time.
Garside recorded a victory that stopped against Charlie Bell in front of the Sydney crowd. . The decision to shake off the judge’s fight surprised many. It wasn’t vintage, but it was good enough. He showed experiences that only sharpen under movement, timing and pressure. Bell tried to rough it, but Garside continued to control things and overwhelmed him.
The finish was delayed. Garside won. And now he’s back to a lightweight conversation – once again there’s a real buzz behind him.
Ivic vs. Vousiutu: Heavyweight War that Stolen the All Night
This was to be buried under the main event. It became a battle that everyone was talking about.
In the fight for the Australian heavyweight title, Stevan Ivic and Toese Vousiutu went to war for 10 rounds with one of the cruelest and crowd-pleasing Slugfests Sydney has seen in years.
It was ugly, it was wild and mixed chaos.
By round 6, Vousiutu was almost complete. His corner gave him an ultimatum: step on it or we throw in the towel. He answered like a madman – and turned the whole battle to his head. He came out swinging in round 7 and almost dropped IVIC with a monster shot. The place exploded.
Both men patrolled the Haymaker after the round, with massive shots landing cleanly. I was able to listen to Thuds Ringside. Watching the live show, Tim Tsey called it “a battle for age.” According to play, Ben Damon said it was “the round of the year.”
And they weren’t exaggerated.
Ultimately, IVIC retained the title in a unanimous decision – 96-94, 96-93, 96-93. But honestly, no one lost. Both men hugged the final bell. The fans were standing up for a few minutes.
This was not a manufactured spectacle. This was two tough brokers who delve into the basement and try to tear each other apart in a title fight that turned into a war zone. It wasn’t the best fight on cards – it could have been the best fight in Australian boxing all year round.
Complete battle results
- Sam Goodman def. Cesar Vaca Espinoza via UD10 (99-92, 99-91, 100-90)
- Harry Garside def. Charlie Bell via TKO5
- Stevan Ivic def. Toese Vousiutu via UD10 (96-93×2, 96-94) for Australian heavyweight title
- Mounir Fathi def. Waydryan via KO3
- Charlie Katzi def. Patrick Vella via UD8 (79-73 x2, 77-75)
- Jason Fawcett def. Alex Lual via MD6 (59-55, 58-56, 57-57)
- Jasmine Parr def. I’m hoping for Phomta via TKO1
- Trewhella def. Tahikia of Kari via TKO3
Last updated on 05/15/2025