Naoya Inoue to defend undisputed super-bantamweight title against Ramon Cardenas live on Sky Sports | Boxing News
Naoya Inoue defends the undisputed super-bantamweight world championship against Ramon Cardenas live on Sky Sports on May 5.
Pound-for-pound superstar Inoue travels to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the Cardenas fight.
Inoue last fought in America in 2021 and has since won a pair of undisputed titles, cementing his status as a generational power-punching force.
Inoue said: “Fighting at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is another career highlight, and I look forward to putting on a great show for everyone.
“Cardenas is a tough opponent who I respect for accepting the fight without hesitation.”
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Watch Naoya Inoue’s unique walk-on ahead of his fight with Ye Joon Kim.
In world title fights alone Inoue is 24-0 with 22 knockouts, a staggering championship run that began with his April 2014 knockout of Adrian Hernandez to win the WBC light-flyweight belt.
He continued his decade-plus reign of dominance with seven defences of the WBO super-flyweight world title before a nine-fight run at bantamweight that concluded with his stoppage of Paul Butler to win the undisputed title.
Inoue toppled future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire twice at bantamweight, including a second-round stoppage in June 2022.
He then became the undisputed super-bantamweight champion in just two fights, knocking out then-unified champions Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales in 2023.
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Top Rank President Todd DuBoef heaps praise on undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
Last May, he packed over 50,000 fans into the Tokyo Dome, rising from a first-round knockdown to stop former two-division king Luis Nery in six. Inoue has since made two more defences of the undisputed crown, knocking out TJ Doheny in seven and late replacement Ye Joon Kim in four.
“Naoya Inoue is among the most powerful and well-rounded fighters I’ve had the privilege of promoting, a singular boxing talent,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
“After many years selling out arenas and stadiums in his native Japan, ‘The Monster’ is ready to take over Las Vegas on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Ramon Cardenas is a worthy challenger who has earned this opportunity with several impressive victories.”
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Highlights of the undisputed super-bantamweight world championship fight between Naoya Inoue and TJ Doheny.
Cardenas enters his first world title assignment off a 14-fight winning streak, a run of success that began with a September 2017 decision victory over Gabino Hernandez.
He graduated to contender in 2024 with a pair of gut checks, forcing Israel Rodriguez Picazo to retire on his stool with a broken jaw and knocking out Eduardo Ramirez in the ninth round of a competitive fight.
Cardenas returned to his San Antonio hometown last month to headline, overcoming a sixth-round knockdown to earn a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Bryan Acosta.
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Naoya Inoue recovered from being floored for the first time, to win a wild four knockdown war against Luis Nery.
“This means the world to me. I’ve always aspired to fight for a world title, but to get a chance to fight for all the belts is a dream come true,” Cardenas said.
“I always knew our paths would cross. I never had any doubts. When the fight was offered, I instantly accepted. I wouldn’t say it’s a lottery ticket, but you can’t turn it down if you get a chance at the undisputed title. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
