Sam Goodman got in the work he sought Sunday afternoon against a stubborn veteran who took him all 12 rounds in their featherweight fight.

The unbeaten Australian junior featherweight contender clearly defeated Miguel Flores, whom he dropped with a body shot in the eighth round on his way to a unanimous win on the scorecards in Broadbeach, Australia. The judges favored Goodman’s activity and accuracy and scored him a wide winner on all three cards (120-105, 120-105 and 118-107) on the Tim Tszyu-Brian Mendoza undercard at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Goodman, 25, is ranked number one by the IBF and WBO in the 122-pound division. Goodman (16-0, 7 KOs) faced Flores at a catch weight of 125 pounds to remain busy while waiting to find out who wins the 122-pound title unification bout between WBC/WBO champ Naoya Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) and IBF/WBA champ Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs).

The emerging Goodman has now beaten 122-pound contenders TJ Doheny, previously undefeated Ra’eese Aleem and Flores in his past three fights.

Flores, 31, fought for the first time since he battled Abner Mares to a 10-round majority draw in September 2022 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Flores (25-5-1, 12 KOs), of Mexican-born fighter from Spring, Texas, slipped to 1-3-1 in his past five fights.

Goodman pressed for the knockout throughout the 12th round, but Flores’ toughness enabled him to make it to the final bell.

Goodman’s overhand right landed to the side of Flores’ head and knocked him off balance about 45 seconds into the 12th round. He drilled Flores with another jarring right hand with 1:40 to go in the final round.

Goodman was active and aggressive in the 11th round, but Flores kept coming forward.

Referee John Watson deducted a second point from Flores for low blows with 1:10 to go in the 10th round.

Goodman continued to work well off his jab in the 10th round. He also rocked Flores with a right hand about 1:20 into the 10th round.

After suffering a knockdown during the eighth round, a resilient Flores came back to make the ninth round competitive.

A right-left combination snapped back Flores’ head about 45 seconds into the eighth round. Goodman followed up with a right uppercut as Flores tried to hold him.

Watson called for time with 1:16 to go in the eighth round and deducted a point from Flores for repeatedly hitting Goodman low.

Soon thereafter, Goodman’s left hook to Flores’ body knocked him to his gloves and knees with 1:55 to go in the eighth round.

Flores landed a straight right hand with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the seventh round. For the second time in as many rounds, Flores was warned for hitting Goodman low a couple seconds after the midway mark of the seventh round.

Goodman cracked Flores with a right hand with just over 30 seconds to go in the sixth round. Goodman’s right hand landed cleanly a little more than 1:10 into the sixth round.

Flores and Goodman traded punches to the head and body during an entertaining, extensive exchange in the middle minute of the fifth round. Goodman drilled Flores with a short right hand to Flores’ face during that sequence and Flores quickly responded with a left hook upstairs.

Flores landed a right-left combination to Goodman’s body with just under 40 seconds to go in the fourth round. Goodman got good extension on a flush right hand with just over 1:20 remaining in the fourth round.

Flores’ right hand connected with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the third round.

Goodman’s right hand snapped back Flores’ head 1:15 into the third round. Goodman’s jab was effective early in the third round.

Goodman landed multiple combinations during the second half of a successful second round for him. A left-right combination by Goodman landed approximately 45 seconds into the second round, but Flores quickly responded with a left hook up top.

Goodman knocked Flores off balance with a right hand that landed with about 15 seconds remaining in the first round. Goodman landed a straight right a little less than a minute into their bout, but Flores fired back with two left hands to Goodman’s body.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.