In a rare US appearance, Naoya Inoue bucked a second-round knockdown to stop Ramon Cardenas to retain the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring super bantamweight championships.
Naoya Inoue proved once again why he’s one of boxing’s most feared finishers, overcoming early adversity to stop Ramon Cardenas in the eighth round and retain his undisputed super bantamweight crown at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) was briefly tested after suffering a rare second-round knockdown from Cardenas (26-2, 14 KOs).
But the Japanese superstar responded like a true champion, regrouping quickly and methodically breaking down his challenger over the middle rounds.
Inoue dropped Cardenas in the seventh, then closed the show in the eighth with a furious combination to record his 11th consecutive stoppage victory.
The bout marked a rare US appearance for Inoue and his first in Las Vegas since 2021.
With all four major titles and The Ring belt still in his possession, the “Monster” continues to reign supreme in the 122-pound division.
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]