Las Vegas fue testigo de una noche de boxeo que necesitó de un héroe para levantar el ánimo, y ese fue “The Monster”.
Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) starred in a main event that kept fans on the edge of their seats, overcoming adversity to defend his undisputed super bantamweight title at the T-Mobile Arena.
After some of boxing’s most prominent figures failed to impress, Inoue’s return to the United States, for the first time since 2021, became a memorable spectacle that crowned a weekend full of emotions.
Inoue, known for his exceptional punching power, has proven to be a dominant force, with 90% of his victories by knockout. However, Ramón Cardenas (26-2) was not intimidated by “The Monster”, but instead offered an intense fight.
In the second round, Cardenas sent Inoue to the canvas with a left hook. Fortunately for the Japanese, the knockdown occurred at the end of the round, allowing him to recover in his corner.
Watching tonight’s fight, everyone knows I like to fight. I was very surprised by [the knockdown], but I stayed calm and recomposed myself… In the first round, I felt I had good distance. He let loose in the second round. From there, I made sure not to get hit by that punch again.
Naoya Inoue
Cardenas, with a big heart, fought bravely, throwing powerful punches every time the end seemed to be near. The blows of both boxers resonated in the venue, exciting the 8,474 fans present.
Although it was initially expected to be an appetizer for Inoue’s title defense in September against Murodjon “M.J.” Akhmadaliev at the Tokyo Dome, the fight with Cardenas became the main course.
Inoue, after the second round, adopted a more cautious approach, building his combinations with the jab and avoiding Cardenas’s left hook. Proving to be superior, Inoue sealed his opponent’s fate in the seventh round, sending him to the canvas with a series of rights, and finishing him off at the beginning of the eighth round with a brutal combination that forced the referee to stop the fight at 45 seconds.
Despite Cardenas’s streak of 14 consecutive victories being interrupted, he earned recognition for his brave performance against one of the best pound-for-pound boxers.
The fight was tough. I said it throughout the camp, I said it in all the interviews. He’s one of the best boxers on the planet and I just wanted to give the fans a great fight.
Ramón Cardenas
Inoue is preparing for his September fight against Akhmadaliev and has hinted at a possible move up to featherweight, where he will seek to become undisputed champion in a third weight class, something unprecedented.
In the co-main event, Rafael Espinoza (27-0, 23 KOs) retained his WBO featherweight title by defeating Edward Vázquez (17-3) by technical knockout in the seventh round.
Espinoza launched an implacable offensive from the first round, outstriking Canelo, Devin Haney, and Ryan Garcia in their respective fights. Despite his bravery, Vázquez was outmatched and received considerable punishment before the fight was stopped at 1:47 of the seventh round after another series of punches from Espinoza.
