Australia’s Sam Goodman has slapped Mark Schleibs and branded him “the biggest clown in Australian boxing” during a wild Wollongong press conference on Tuesday.

The world No. 1 also dubbed the Melburnian an “attention wh**e” and accused him of talking his way onto their anticipated Wollongong Entertainment Centre headliner on March 13.

Schleibs, meanwhile, promised to upset Goodman via KO, accused him of getting “silver spoon” treatment from promoters No Limit and slammed his fight style as a “cure for insomnia”.

While he may be one of the most relaxed – and polite — fighters in Aussie boxing, Goodman had to be restrained by No Limit CEO George Rose after grabbing at the throat of Schleibs and then slapping his rival’s face during a chaotic face off.

Schleibs (13-2) also lashed out at Goodman at the end of what had already been an entertaining press conference to announce a card that will see exiled NRL player Curtis Scott make his professional boxing debut against Joey Leilua.

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Elsewhere, Aussie middleweight Issac Hardman will also look to continue his push up the world title rankings against big punching Venezuelan Endry Saavedra.

But the biggest story out of this one, undeniably, was the headliners.

After initially thanking God for the opportunity to headline in the ‘Gong, Schleibs then quickly took aim at the undefeated Goodman – who has long wanted to headline at home.

“I believe he has been catered to,” Schleibs started of the IBF mandatory who is in line to face Japanese megastar Naoya Inoue later this year.

“He’s got the silver spoon treatment to the world No. 1 ranking.

“But I’ve had to earn it.

“Had to take the hard fights.

“I’ve been coming up divisions, and I’m coming up one more division and coming into his backyard and fighting him in front of his home crowd.”

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The fighter dubbed “Magic Man’ also suggested it was him, and not Goodman, who was the real A-side of their showdown.

“Without me there is no Pay Per View, man,” he said.

“Everyone knows I’m ‘must watch’ TV.

“If there was no ‘Magic Man’ on this bill, there would be no Pay-Per-View.”

Asked for a response, Goodman shrugged: “Go on Boxrec and look at both our records.

“He’s struggled getting out of the domestic scene.

“I’ve been going against the best in the world for a year and passed with flying colours.

“I think he’s the biggest clown in Australian boxing.

“He’s delusional.

“I don’t know where he gets his confidence from.”

Goodman added that Schleibs was “a big man on social media” who had “talked his way into this position”.

“He’s an attention wh**e,” he continued.

“As soon as there is a camera in front of his face he’s got a lot to say but he’s got nothing to say when you put it on him …”

At which point, Schleibs snapped back: “When did you put it on me?”

Goodman: “Out the back …”

“C’mon, bro, I’ll take you on right now,” Schleibs then responded, right before promising to knock Goodman cold when they fight.

Elsewhere, he also dismissed Goodman’s power and took aim at his fight style suggesting “if you’ve got insomnia watch Goodman and he’ll put you to sleep … you can thank me later”.

He also branded the Wollongong native “Mr Poo Man”.

“Poo Man,” he cackled. “I had a Poo man before I got here, it was a good one too.”

“Yeah,” Goodman shot back, “you probably did s… yourself”.

Goodman also questioned his rival’s record: “Tell me what you’ve achieved, mate? You’ve done f… all”.

“Don’t get nervous,” Schleibs replied. “I’m only here for one day.

“Then you won’t see me until March 13”.

“You probably won’t turn up for that again,” Goodman hit back again, explaining later how his team had reached out to Schleibs for a fight shortly after COVID, only to be knocked back.

“No one is running away from you mate,” Schleibs said. “You’re the only one that runs around the ring like a b***h.”

Goodman: “We’ll see who takes the first step back”.

Schleibs: “We will see mate. You’ll end up on your back”.

Goodman: “He does this every fight, he talks a big game and then doesn’t show up.

“He will lose this fight and then it’s back to the prelims, doing f… all with his career.

“As soon as he fights someone with a heartbeat, he gets beat”.

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Schleibs then pointed out that his most recent win was a 2023 Knockout of the Year contender against Fijian Shamal Ram Anuj – a fighter Goodman beat via decision in 2018.

“You couldn’t knock him out and you hit him with everything but the kitchen sink,” Schleibs fired.

Goodman: “That was in my third fight, I was an 18-year-old kid.

“You’re taking those fights now”.

Schleibs: “I take the fights that are given to me.

“I’m saving your career. It’s in the toilet.”

Goodman: “Yeah, I’m the world No. 1 and my career is in the toilet … you’ve always got an excuse (when you lose).

“You’ve probably got the Instagram post already written.”

Schleibs: “You wish you had this game, you insecure jealous (expletive).”

Goodman: “I’m just happy to bring a big fight to Wollongong.”

Schleibs: “You can thank me mate.”

Goodman: “What would I thank you for?”

Soon after, the pair were brought together for a chaotic face off where both got physical, before Goodman slapped his rival and the pair were separated.