A hard target search across all four sanctioning bodies appears to have finally led to a willing opponent for Ra’eese Aleem.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed that the IBF has conditionally sanctioned a junior featherweight title eliminator between USA’s Aleem and Australia’s Sam Goodman. The battle of unbeaten contenders is targeted to take place June 8 at a location to be determined in Australia, pending signed contracts submitted to the sanctioning body by no later than May 18.
“The IBF has granted tentative sanction approval for the IBF Jr. Featherweight Eliminator for # 1 between Sam Goodman and Ra’eese Aleem,” IBF Championship Committee chairman Carlos Ortiz informed the promoters for both boxers in an official letter obtained by Boxing Scene. “The bout is scheduled to take place June 8, 2023 in Australia.
“Formal sanction will be granted once the IBF receives the signed contracts for this bout.”
Should the bout move forward in present form, the winner will be named the IBF mandatory challenger to recently crowned and unified junior featherweight titlist Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19KOs).
Per IBF Rule 2.A, promoters have fifteen (15) days following tentative sanction approval to submit signed bout contracts. Failure by either side to provide written proof of acceptance can result in said fighter being removed from a position of title contention, along with sanction withdrawal at the IBF’s discretion.
The fight was put into play in mid-April, shortly after Goodman (14-0, 7KOs) accepted an invitation from the IBF to enter talks for such a bout versus Aleem (20-0, 12KOs). The IBF reached out to Goodman once it was learned that Tijuana’s Luis Nery (34-1, 26KOs) declined the invitation to enter talks with Aleem, as the former two-division titlist will instead hold his place in line as the WBC mandatory challenger.
Aleem was represented in talks by promoter Marshall Kauffman’s King Promotions, though Tom Brown of TGB Promotions handled sanctioning body logistics on behalf of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). Goodman is promoted by Matt and George Rose’s No Limit Boxing, which also has unbeaten junior challenger Tim Tszyu who eyes a stay-busy fight while he awaits his due WBO mandatory title shot versus undisputed 154-pound king Jermell Charlo.
Interestingly, Aleem is still tied to a WBC title eliminator versus Mexico’s David Picasso (24-0-1, 13KOs). The ordered fight went to a purse bid hearing which was won by Zanfer Boxing, Picasso’s promoter who has taken its time in securing a date for such a fight.
The next two weeks will determine whether Aleem heads to Mexico and the WBC route—where he will be second in line for a shot at the title—or to Australia and the IBF where a win puts him on course to challenge straight away for the title.
Aleem has not fought since a ten-round decision win over Mike Plania last September 5 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old contender from Las Vegas by way of Muksegon, Michigan has struggled to find willing opposition despite his own desire to face anyone on the way to the title.
Aleem’s team also sought the possibility of being named as mandatory challenger for the WBO title. Stephen Fulton (21-0, 8KOs) currently holds the WBC and WBO belts, which he will next defend versus former three-division champ Naoya Inoue (24-0, 21KOs) on July 23 in Tokyo.
The planned IBF eliminator will mark the first career fight outside of the U.S. for Aleem.
Goodman has fought exclusively in Australia since his April 2018 pro debut. A fight with the supremely talented Aleem marks a considerable leap in competition for the 24-year-old from Albion Park, New South Wales.
However, it comes on the heels of a lopsided ten-round points win over faded former IBF junior featherweight titlist TJ Doheny this past March 12 in Sydney. The bout took place on the undercard of Tszyu’s recent stoppage win over former WBC junior middleweight titlist Tony Harrison.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox