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Naoya Inoue Overcomes Early Knockdown to TKO Ramon Cardenas in Eighth Round in Las Vegas

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Updated May 6, 2025, 06:09 PM

Naoya Inoue successfully defended his undisputed super-bantamweight title against Ramon Cardenas in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, overcoming an early knockdown to secure a TKO victory in the eighth round. The fight saw Inoue knocked down in the second round by a left hook from Cardenas, marking only the second time in his career he has been knocked down. The event was attended by 8,474 fans.

Despite the early setback, Inoue regained his composure and dominated the later rounds, showcasing his precision and power. He landed 57 of 103 power punches in the sixth and seventh rounds alone, according to CompuBox. The fight was stopped by referee Thomas Taylor in the eighth round, with Inoue leading on all three judges' scorecards at 68-63.

Cardenas, a fighter from San Antonio, despite the loss, put up a valiant effort, pushing Inoue throughout the match and earning praise for his performance. Inoue, now with a record of 30-0 and 27 knockouts, expressed his appreciation for the supportive fans and his intent to entertain them. Inoue is scheduled to fight Murodjon Akhmadaliev next in September.

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