The Australian Shark, Heavyweight Joseph Goodall, Stops Stephan Shaw On The Road
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Unknown Australian heavyweight Joseph ‘The Australian Shark’ Goodall, 10-1-1 with nine knockouts, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, scored the best win of his career when he decked Stephan Shaw, now 18-2 with 13 knockouts, Saint Louis, Missouri, twice in the sixth round before the Shaw corner threw in the towel at 2:55, forcing referee Gary Ritter to stop the Top Rank undercard contest at Firelake Arena, Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Friday night, July 21, 2023.
Goodall had never fought outside of Australia before this bout. Shaw, whose lone loss was a decision to Efe Ajagba, lost his second consecutive bout, and was both dropped and stopped for the first time in his career. Shaw completely underestimated Goodall’s abilities.
Shaw preferred to fight in close with Goodall in center ring, exchanging short shots inside of a telephone booth. This proved a mistake, as standing in front of Goodall, trading short shots but not moving, enabled Goodall to eventually time Shaw, find holes in his defense, and use multiple left right combinations to take Shaw down with crisp shots to the jaw. Goodall’s short power shots looked much like George Foreman punching at short range.
Shaw got up, but had not recovered, leaving him open for head power shots, allowing Goodall to drop him again while backing Shaw up. Shaw’s corner threw in the towel at 2:55 of round six. At age 31, Goodall looks like a granite chinned modern version of heavyweight Randy ‘Tex’ Cobb combined with the brute strength of Chris Arreola. Goodall’s stock has definitely risen with this win on the road.
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