That's what the 7-0 Albion Park slugger has found in a frustrating year-long absence from the ring. It's the longest stretch without a fight the former world-championship bronze medalist has endured since first lacing up the gloves.

It's what's prompted him to jump a whopping three divisions for this Saturday's showdown with Penrith lightweight Daniel Carr on the Gold Coast.

"It's up three weights, we had to do what we had to do to get a fight," Goodman said.

"No one around my weight would take it. A lot of people are saying 'we'll take it after a warm-up fight' or whatever but I haven't had a fight in over a year either. I think it's just people delaying the chance to fight me and hoping international borders open up.

"I just had to get back in the ring and get a fight cranking really. It'll be 13 months by the time I'm in there. It's the longest time I've ever spent out of the ring but I've been in the gym more than ever.

"It's still the best camp I've ever had. There were a lot of fights last year that were promised to us so we went through camp and COVID was like one big fight camp for me last year. Daniel Carr's a good boy and fair play to him he took the fight on."

It runs counter to early expectations that the halt on international opportunities would see fighters in all divisions take on big domestic fights. It hasn't been that simple, but it remains Goodman's plan.

"We've asked for every fight in this country at super-bantamweight and featherweight," he said.

"A lot of people in the boxing scene know what the outcome would be if they did so a lot have shied away from it. A lot of carrots got dangled but nothing was coming out of it.

"I was thinking I was going to get the likes of Luke Boyd, Brock Jarvis, those sort of boys but they've all turned their nose up to it to be quite honest and have sat on the fence.

"I'm not going to be doing that, I'm here to fight them all if they want to take it on. I want to campaign at super-bantamweight but there's still not a bloke at featherweight I think can beat me."

Goodman insists he won't be looking past Carr, who he'll face on the undercard of rising heavyweight star Justis Huni's return fight at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Carr is also coming off a lay-off, but his previous bout was a career-best win over Tyson Lantry - a guy boasting a victory over former world title contender Luke Jackson and a seven-round war with undefeated super-featherweight Paul Fleming on Tszyu-Hogan undercard.

"All the blokes I've been sparring in the gym are welterweights and above so lightweight's no problem for me at all," Goodman said.

"I'm just relying on my own work ethic in the gym and the boys I have there that have helped push me through. I got some good rounds in with some good boys last year.

"It's a combination of everything, but at the end of the day I'm relying on my own skillset and my own work ethic to get me over the line at whatever weight I'm fighting.

"For this one we're at lightweight. I'll go back down for my next one, but I've got to get through this one first. I only ever worry about the job I've got in front of me."