Sam Goodman faces Rodrigo Ruiz in IBF title eliminator April 4

Australian contender fights April 4 in Wollongong with IBF super bantamweight title pathway on the line

Sam Goodman returns April 4 against Argentina’s Rodrigo Ruiz in an IBF super bantamweight title eliminator in Wollongong, Australia. The winner moves into position for a future shot at the IBF belt.

The 12-round eliminator appears on the undercard of Tim Tszyu’s fight with Denis Nurja and will stream on Prime Video beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Goodman (21-1, 8 KOs) comes back following a clear unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Tyler Blizzard in December. The 27-year-old from New South Wales used the jab well that night, kept the exchanges orderly, and piled up rounds with clean combinations and disciplined positioning.

That win steadied his position after a competitive 12-round decision defeat to WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball on August 16, 2025. The loss came one division higher, and Goodman remains unbeaten at super bantamweight.

Before facing Ball, Goodman built strong momentum during 2023 with victories over former world champion T.J. Doheny and once-unbeaten contender Ra’eese Aleem. Those performances placed him firmly among the leading contenders at 122 pounds and kept his name in the IBF conversation.

Ruiz (23-1, 17 KOs) travels from Las Talitas, Tucumán looking for the biggest result of his career. The 25-year-old most recently stopped Isaac Arias in the sixth round in November and has stayed active while working his way up the rankings.

Ruiz turned professional in 2021 and has kept a busy schedule, recording four wins in 2024 and three more in 2025. His lone defeat came in July 2025 when he lost a decision to unbeaten contender Mukhammad Shekhov in a fight where both men were knocked down.

Goodman relies on careful foot positioning, and compact combinations once he sets his feet. Ruiz carries heavier hands and looks to open exchanges with the right hand after establishing his own jab.

The IBF eliminator leaves little room for maneuver. The winner steps into mandatory contention at super bantamweight, while the loser returns to the contender line and waits for another path back toward the belt.

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