The Main Event Boxing Podcast · Fox Sports Australia

GOODMAN & VOLKANOVSKI - Idols of the Illawarra

·29 min·1 clip

He literally hustled his way from row nine to ringside at the Tokyo Dome and got invited into the ring by his future opponent.

Sam Goodman opens by talking about what it means to headline back in Wollongong on Wednesday, July 10. The pride is immediate. He says he loves getting home and bringing big shows back to the city, and that putting big fights there fills him with a real sense of pride and joy. The last night there still clearly sits with him. He remembers the build-up as strong and the finish as a good one, and he points to the scenes after the fight, with people partying out the front of the venue, as proof of how big the night felt. The response from locals has only made the next one feel even bigger. Goodman says everyone around him is super excited again, and the energy around the event feels personal as much as professional. The conversation then turns to support from someone he clearly admires. Goodman speaks about it with clear respect and says the backing means a lot. In Goodman’s telling, that support reaches across Wollongong and the wider Illawarra. The respect goes both ways, and Goodman sounds genuinely moved by how much support he gets. The talk also circles back to the feeling of being watched by people who have followed his career for years, which adds weight to the occasion. Goodman is not just preparing for a bout. He is carrying a lot of local excitement into fight week. He then lays out the final stretch of camp. Two more sparring sessions are left, along with a few hard sessions before things start to ease off. After that comes the usual fight-week formalities, making weight, and handling business. The tone stays calm and practical. He sounds like a boxer who knows the grind is almost done and the real test is close. The segment closes by anchoring the date, the opponent, and the occasion. Goodman is heading toward Chano Warawat, the world number eight, on July 10. It is a straightforward boxing conversation, but the local stakes give it real shape.

As heard by us

A local boxing homecoming built on pride, support, and a clear run into fight week.

The piece presents Sam Goodman as a fighter who knows what a Wollongong headline slot means to the local crowd. It stays with the details that carry the moment: the reception after the Mark Schlebes night, the relief of getting home, the respect attached to a globally known…

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Why you'd press play

You want a Wollongong fight-week chat with real local stakes and a world-number-eight opponent in view.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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