Super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem (20-1, 12 KOs) has broken his silence since suffering his first defeat as a professional, a hard-fought split decision loss to Sam Goodman (15-0, 7 KOs), which took place in Goodman’s homeland of Australia last month.
One of the major hurdles Aleem faced during his journey to Australia was acclimating to the significant time change. He attested to the difficulties of adjusting to the new time zone, stating – “The time difference definitely presented some unique challenges. I now know what fighters have always said about fighting overseas, its not easy. I’m not taking anything away from Goodman, he showed he belongs with the elite in the division. Nevertheless, I believe that stepping out of my comfort zone is necessary for growth and reaching new heights in my career. I definitely want that rematch, but here in the States, and let’s see if he can hang with the travel.”
Despite the setback in Australia, Aleem remains undeterred and determined to reclaim his position among the super bantamweight elite. He recognizes that the road to success is often filled with obstacles but believes that every experience, whether victory or defeat, serves as a steppingstone towards greatness.
“Ra’eese is a true warrior, and his determination is unmatched,” said Aleem’s manager, Greg Hannley, CEO of Prince Ranch Boxing.
“Despite facing adversity in Australia, he has proven time and again that he belongs at the highest level of the super bantamweight division. We are excited about his future, and we are confident that he will bounce back stronger than ever.”
Looking ahead, Aleem is eagerly keeping an eye on the highly anticipated bout between Stephen Fulton and Naoya Inoue.
“Fulton verses Inoue is going to be a great fight,” continued Aleem. “I’ll be watching closely as either one of them are potential opponents down the road. I’m leaning toward Fulton to pull off the upset, but I know it’s going to be a difficult task for him being that he’s fighting overseas. People don’t realize how hard it is to get acclimated when fighting on foreign land.”