Naoya Inoue Retains Super Bantamweight Title with TKO Victory Over Cárdenas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — ‍Naoya Inoue continued his reign as the unified super bantamweight champion Sunday, May 4, with an eighth-round technical knockout‍ of Ramón Cárdenas at the T-Mobile Arena.The victory capped a weekend of boxing action that also saw Ryan Garcia compete ⁢Friday in Times Square and Canelo Álvarez ‍triumph over William scull in Saudi Arabia on⁢ Saturday.

Inoue Overcomes Early Knockdown to Dominate Cárdenas

Cárdenas, who ⁤had vowed to challenge Inoue from ⁣the opening bell, came out aggressively. In the ⁤second round, Cárdenas connected⁢ with a powerful right hand, sending Inoue to the canvas.Inoue, however, quickly recovered, nodding to his ⁣corner to signal he⁢ was unhurt.

From the third round⁢ onward,Inoue took control‍ of the fight. The ‍Japanese champion appeared to decipher Cárdenas’ strategy and began dictating the pace. By the fifth round, Inoue’s power ⁢advantage became evident. Cárdenas was knocked down in⁣ the seventh, but the bell saved him from further punishment.

In the eighth round, the referee stopped the fight, deeming Cárdenas had absorbed enough‍ punishment.

Keys to the Fight

Cárdenas displayed tremendous courage and a willingness to press ⁣forward, landing effective body shots and connecting with both lefts and rights to Inoue’s face. Inoue, though, showcased a diverse offensive arsenal. The Japanese fighter relentlessly‍ pressured Cárdenas, breaking down his guard with his jab and following up with straight punches. He also effectively targeted both the body and head.

With the victory, Inoue extends⁤ his undefeated record to 30-0, with⁣ 27 knockouts. He is now set to face Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September, according to Inoue. The date and location are yet to be determined.