Las Vegas, Nevada – Naoya “The Monster” Inoue made his return to America, and he did not disappoint. He fought Ramon Cardenas in a memorable Vegas battle at the T-Mobile Arena. Inoue said at the post-fight press conference that the type of fight he enjoys the most are brawls, and we got one Sunday night. Cardenas did not come to lie down, looking to shock the world and become the first man ever to defeat The Monster.
He made it a competitive match early, knocking Inoue down in the second round and carrying the momentum for the next few rounds. Inoue, however, turned the tide by increasing the intensity and by significantly increasing his output. His work rate overwhelmed Cardenas; the multiple combination punches were too much for him, leading to a 7th-round knockdown. The Monster continued the relentless attack into the 8th when referee Thomas Taylor stopped it.
At the presser, Cardenas stated he wasn’t really bothered by Inoue’s power, but rather it was his combinations that overwhelmed him. He didn’t know how to defend against them. Although he lost the fight, he gained the admiration and respect of boxing fans. His valiant effort was commended by those in attendance. “I told my trainer that if I’m going out, then I’m going out on my shield. That’s what I did,” said Ramon. Inoue said, “Cardenas was a tougher opponent than I expected.” Naoya enjoyed fighting in America and hopes he can do it again in the future.
A potential mega fight against Junto Nakatani may be on the horizon as Inoue stated it could possibly happen next year. This would be a mega fight that many fans have been craving for some time. Inoue’s legend grew over the weekend and will continue to grow with repeat performances.
In the co-main event, Rafael “Divino” Espinoza put on an impressive performance, defeating Edward Vazquez by technical knockout in the 7th round. “This is the kind of fight that people like to watch. And I like it, too. The people deserve these types of fights. And, as a Mexican fighting on this important Mexican date, I did it with all my heart, and I will continue doing so.” Espinoza’s work rate is admirable, throwing 520 punches in seven rounds and connecting on 39.8 percent of his total punches. When put into perspective on a weekend of minimal output, Divino threw more punches than the combined punches thrown in the high-profile matches of the weekend: Canelo Alvarez-William Scull, Ryan Garcia-Rolly Romero, and Devin Haney-Jose Ramirez (Compubox).
Espinoza wants to be remembered as a Mexican great, and to do so, he must be memorable. “In order for a new Mexican idol to be born, I’ll need to fight against the best. So I’m here. I’m the champion. And I’m here to fight against the best,” said Rafael. He’s made three successful defenses of his WBO featherweight world title. He’s stated he would like to face the other champions in the division. With his size, power, and work rate, he is a difficult opponent. He hopes to stay busy and fight two more times this year.
Last Updated on 05/05/2025
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