In a plain physical fight, Superman would always beat Goku simply because of their character archetype. Superman is an unstoppable physical force limited by his will. Goku is an unstoppable will limited by his physical force.
Superman represents that we must rely on our morality and not use our power to take advantage of others. His fight isn’t with any external force. His is the inner conflict between truth, justice, and the American way and the ability to smear Lex Luthor into a fine paste on a whim. His defeats are when his doubts and fears are preyed upon. His maintaining humanity (cough) in spite of his power is what we see as heroic.
Goku represents how aspiration can overcome a challenge. He trains because he encounters external forces stronger than him that he has to defeat. He has to lose, train harder, and then come back for the win. It is his journey of not losing hope, working hard, and coming back to fight again that we see as heroic.
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