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Naoya Inoue Defeats Ramon Cardenas to Retain Undisputed Title

Inoue overcame a rare knockdown in the second round to secure an eighth-round TKO victory in Las Vegas, improving to 30-0.

Undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue of Japan and Ramon Cardenas face off during an official weigh-in at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on May 03, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Overview

  • Naoya Inoue retained his undisputed junior featherweight championship with an eighth-round TKO against Ramon Cardenas at T-Mobile Arena.
  • Cardenas shocked fans by knocking Inoue down in the second round, marking only the second knockdown of the champion's career.
  • Inoue regained control in the later rounds, using precise combinations to dominate and force the referee to stop the fight early in the eighth.
  • The event, part of a Cinco de Mayo boxing weekend, also featured Rafael Espinoza retaining his WBO featherweight title with a seventh-round TKO of Edward Vazquez.
  • Inoue is now preparing for a mandatory title defense against Murodjon Akhmadaliev, expected to take place in September.