Inoue wins against Cardenas.
Braggin' Rights
Naoya Inoue, crowned "The Monster," recently dominated the Las Vegas boxing scene, knocking out challenger Ramon Cardenas in the eighth round to keep his belts in the junior bantamweight division. The bout ended with a TKO, as per WBO, WBC, IBF, WBA, and The Ring. Inoue is now 30-0, with 27 KOs, and still undefeated at age 32.
Inoue's impressive victories have earned him numerous accolades, such as "Fighter of the Year" (2023) across multiple platforms, "Fight of the Year" (2019), "Knockout of the Year" (2018), and constant P4P rankings. Meanwhile, Cardenas, who faced his second professional loss, boasts 26 wins, including 14 KOs.
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Inoue's impressive career is marked by several prestigious titles and rankings:
- WBC Light Flyweight Champion: His early career domination
- WBO Super Bantamweight Champion: Achieved during his weight class rise
- Unified Super Bantamweight Champion: Simultaneously held WBA, IBF, and WBO titles
- Professional Record: A 29-0 record, including 89% KOs
His accolades include:
- 7-Time JBC Fighter of the Year: Annually awarded by Japan Boxing Commission
- Olympic Gold Medalist (sic): Although Inoue did not compete in the Olympics, this may be an error in the source materials as he had a decorated amateur career outside the Olympics
- Pound-for-Pound contender: Frequently ranked among the top 3 globally
Inoue's future prospects include a 2026 superfight against fellow undefeated Japanese champion Junto Nakatani at Tokyo Dome, which could further solidify his legacy in the boxing world.
In the sports world, bookmakers have Cardenas as the underdog for the 2026 knockout match against the top-ranked P4P fighter Naoya Inoue, who topped the sports world in 2023 with the "Fighter of the Year" title.
As Inoue prepares to defend his belts against Cardenas in 2026, boxing enthusiasts are keeping an eye on the possibility of a legendary encounter that could see Inoue, the WBC Light Flyweight and Unified Super Bantamweight Champion, topped by Cardenas for the only second time in his professional career.
If successful, Cardenas' KO of Inoue at the 2026 Tokyo Dome superfight could etch his name in the annals of boxing history, challenging Inoue's status as one of the greatest P4P fighters of all time.
