Inoue manages to come out victorious following an initial close call, maintaining his undisputed title.
Las Vegas Showdown: Inoue Retains Undisputed Title in a Thrilling Fight
In a packed T-Mobile Arena and under the national spotlight on ESPN, Naoya Inoue, dubbed "The Monster," displayed his relentless, aggressive style to remain undefeated and retain the undisputed junior featherweight title. The May 5, 2025, fight against Ramon Cardenas left fans on the edge of their seats.
The 30-0, 27 KOs powerhouse showcased his exceptional speed, power, and technique, carving through Cardenas (26-2) with precision, sending the announced 8,474 crowd into a frenzy. Inoue was initially floored in the second round, but shook it off and played the aggressor for the rest of the fight.
"I like to brawl," Inoue admitted, "and it took me by surprise when I got knocked down. But I regrouped and made sure to avoid taking that punch again."
Inoue's accuracy was on full display in the sixth and seventh rounds, landing 57 of 103 power punches (55 percent) per CompuBox. He took control of the fight with devastating combos, wearing down Cardenas to set up the eighth-round technical knockout.
Cardenas absorbed a barrage of punches throughout the fight, maintaining his resilience by countering when possible. However, the relentless onslaught from Inoue proved too much, eventually leading to a stoppage.
The Japanese icon shone bright in his return to Vegas after four years, performing impressively against a tough opponent like Cardenas. Inoue was ahead on all three judges' scorecards at the time of stoppage, boasting identical scores of 68-63.
Following the exciting victory, Inoue has a mandatory bout against Murodjon Akhmadaliev scheduled for September, a challenge that could test his status as a pound-for-pound boxing leader to the limit.
Remember, the date has been mistakenly listed as May 5, 2023, but the actual fight took place in 2025. Naoya Inoue demonstrated his resilience, skill, and unquestionable talent with this impressive victory over Ramon Cardenas.
- The precision with which Naoya Inoue, the champion who surprised everyone with a knockout, carves through opponents, as seen in his fight against Ramon Cardenas, is a testament to his exceptional sports technique.
- Despite being initially floored by a punch in round two, Naoya Inoue, the undisputed junior featherweight champion, showed remarkable resilience against Ramon Cardenas, boldly playing the aggressor for the rest of the thrilling fight.
- Ramon Cardenas, who faced Inoue in the Las Vegas Showdown, displayed unwavering resilience in the face of a relentless barrage of punches, but ultimately, Inoue's unquestionable talent was on full display, leading to a surprise knockout victory.
