Naoya Inoue Overcomes Knockdown to Defend Championship in Vegas

LAS VEGAS — Naoya Inoue proved his mettle in the boxing ring Sunday night as he defended his undisputed super bantamweight title against Ramon Cardenas at T-Mobile Arena. Inoue, known as “The Monster,” overcame a second-round knockdown to deliver a gripping performance and claim victory with a dramatic stoppage in the eighth round.

The bout capped off a boxing weekend that saw other major stars, including Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia, struggle to impress. It marked Inoue’s return to the U.S. for the first time since 2021, where he showcased his prowess amid a duel for boxing supremacy. The Japanese boxer, boasting an impressive record of 30-0 with 27 knockouts, is celebrated for his explosive power and technical skills.

Inoue found himself on the canvas after being hit by a counter left hook from Cardenas, who entered the ring with a record of 26-2. Fortunately for Inoue, he was knocked down at the end of the round and used the time in his corner to recover. “I was very surprised [at the knockdown], but I took things calmly and put myself together,” Inoue said after the fight.

As the rounds progressed, Inoue adopted a more strategic approach, focusing on his jab to set up effective combinations. His resilience and offensive firepower became evident as he ultimately overwhelmed Cardenas with a series of powerful punches, leading to the decisive stoppage just 45 seconds into the eighth round.

Despite suffering his first defeat in 14 bouts, Cardenas earned respect for his valiant effort against one of boxing’s top-ranked fighters. “The fight was tough… I just wanted to give the fans a fan fight,” he said in his post-fight comments.

Inoue now heads into a title defense scheduled for September against Murodjon “M.J.” Akhmadaliev in Tokyo, and he hinted at a possible move to featherweight in the future, where he could pursue a championship in a third weight class.

The co-main event showcased Rafael Espinoza, who retained his WBO featherweight title with a seventh-round stoppage of Edward Vazquez. Espinoza dominated the fight from the outset, loading up his punches and overwhelming Vazquez, leading to a halt of the contest at 1:47 of round seven.

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz shared his excitement for boxing’s future, pointing out that the weekend’s fights ultimately salvaged the sport’s reputation after several lackluster performances. “You can’t buy good fights,” he said. The success of the Inoue-Cardenas fight served as a reminder of the thrilling potential of the sport.