Goodman vs Blizzard Predictions: Sydney sees Sam play it again

Aussie boxing hero Sam Goodman returns this Wednesday, December 17 as he faces Tyler Blizzard. The bout serves as co-main event when Tim Tszyu takes on Anthony Velazquez at the TikTok Entertainment Center in Sydney. Main Event on Kayo Sports carries the domestic pay-per-view with no word on international broadcasting.

Stay tuned for my Goodman vs Blizzard predictions.

Goodman vs Blizzard Odds

Goodman is priced at 1/9 to pull off the expected victory. If you can’t part them, the draw is there at 16/1. Blizzard is marketed at 6/1 to spring the shock.

Goodman vs Blizzard Fight Preview

Wednesday’s card is a place of redemption for two of Australian boxing’s favourite sons. Headliner Tszyu looks to rebound from three losses in his last four fights. Meanwhile, Goodman boxes for the first time since his points loss to WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball.

A world title opportunity had been a long time coming for Goodman. ‘The Ghost’ had been scheduled to meet undisputed super bantamweight boss Naoya Inoue last December, before a Goodman cut in sparring delayed the fight until January. That new date was kiboshed by a re-injury of the eyelid, leaving Goodman out in the cold.

The Aussie had to watch as Inoue took on Ye-Joon Kim, destroying the former kickboxer in four rounds. A points win over fringe contender Cesar Vaca Espinoza in May blew the cobwebs off before opportunity knocked. It would be Ball at featherweight, rather than Inoue at super bantamweight, for Goodman’s long-delayed championship tilt.

Saudi Arabia hosted the occasion, as it unavoidably does these days. Goodman fought his heart out and opinion was split on a rightful victor in an explosive and gruelling 12 rounds. But Ball emerged with a unanimous decision and his WBA belt, even if the 115-113 scorecard in favour was the only sensible one offered. Marks of 118-110 and 117-111 were egregious. 

But Goodman had taken Ball to the wire, no matter the scrawls. His predicament is different to Tszyu’s. Nobody thinks ‘The Ghost’ should retire. On another night his August efforts would have dropped a world belt into his luggage. It was simply not to be.

Goodman’s return comes against familiar opposition. Blizzard beat the former world title challenger in an Olympic qualifier during their amateur careers. The underdog grips tightly to the stick he has to beat Goodman with. Goodman is talking like this is another day at the office, but surely a surge of potential revenge will run through him on Wednesday.

Blizzard is 10-0 and certainly isn’t aiming to make up the numbers. Fighting alongside names like Goodman and Tszyu is all well and good, but the 27-year-old is determined to put his own name up in lights the next time he fights in Sydney. An upset victory over the world-ranked Goodman would be a sure-fire way of achieving just that.

Goodman vs Blizzard Full Card

Tim Tszyu vs Anthony Velazquez

Sam Goodman vs Tyler Blizzard

Callum Peters vs Cody Beekin

Koen Mazoudier vs Dominic Molinaro

Jason Fawcett vs Marco Romeo

Ahmad Reda vs Wayne Telepe

Paulo Aokuso vs Shukhrat Abdullaev

Isaias Sette vs Kya Sparks

Goodman vs Blizzard Prediction

Goodman is a fighter who boasts a balanced game. Good footwork, neat head movement, able on the front or back foot. His achilles heel is cuts. Alongside his sparring struggles, Vaca sliced him up pretty good back in May. With eight knockouts from 20 fights, he isn’t much of a puncher either. 

I think he has the measure of Blizzard, who will be up for this but under-equipped to fend off a world class opponent. They aren’t starry-eyed kids any more. This isn’t the amateurs. Goodman is the better pro and will prove it on points at 4/7.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.