Unbeaten boxing megastar Naoya Inoue survives shock knockdown against underdog!
Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (30-0) retained his title with an eighth-round TKO win over 100-1 underdog Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas. The fight delivered unexpected drama as Inoue was knocked down for only the second time in his career in the second round before recovering to secure the victory.
Unbeaten Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, known as "The Monster," successfully defended his undisputed super bantamweight world title in Las Vegas, defeating American challenger Ramon Cardenas by TKO in the eighth round. Inoue improved his impressive record to 30 wins and no losses, with 27 victories coming inside the distance.
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Despite Cardenas being a significant 100-1 underdog, the fight proved to be surprisingly entertaining and featured a moment of high drama. In the second round, Cardenas landed a left hook that sent Inoue to the canvas, marking only the second knockdown of Inoue's professional career. Reflecting on the moment, Inoue admitted he was "very surprised" but managed to "calmly pull myself together" and adjusted his strategy, focusing on distance to avoid a repeat.
After overcoming the initial shock of the knockdown, Inoue, who stated he "like[s] to brawl," pressed the attack. The fight continued until 45 seconds into the eighth round. Following a barrage of powerful punches from the champion that left Cardenas covering up against the ropes, referee Thomas Taylor intervened and stopped the bout, awarding Inoue the TKO victory.
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Inoue acknowledged Cardenas's toughness in his first world title fight, stating, "Boxing is not that easy." The 29-year-old Cardenas, despite the loss, made a "game effort."
First bout outside Japan since 2021
Considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters globally, the 32-year-old Inoue successfully defended his undisputed 122-pound title for the fourth time. This fight marked his return to Las Vegas after a four-year absence and was his first bout outside Japan since 2021. He came into the fight following a fourth-round knockout win in Tokyo in January and now boasts 11 straight wins inside the distance since last going the full 12 rounds in 2019.
The victory keeps Inoue on track and maintains his status as a prime target for other fighters, such as Mexico's unbeaten Rafael Espinosa, who won on the undercard and stated fighting Inoue would "catapult me into stardom." While a previously scheduled fight with Australian Sam Goodman was cancelled due to injury, Goodman remains hopeful for a future clash after his upcoming fight in Sydney. Despite the brief scare, Inoue's resilience and finishing power were ultimately on display, reaffirming his status as champion.
