Inoue to Fight Cardenas in the USA on May 4, Another "Expensive" Mismatch Expected
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 13 Mar 2025
I wonder no more why Bob Arum is no longer taken seriously as fight promoter in the United States.
It is official, on May 4, 2025, in a co-promotion with Ohashi of Japan, Arum is bringing back undisputed world super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue in a title defense against Boxrec #10 rated Mexican Ramon Cardenas at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in what is largely perceived as another mismatch.
Though with a record of 24-1, Cardenas, officially rated #2 by the World Boxing Association (WBA), has no prominent world rated opponents in his record which includes mostly fights against domestic opposition.
In an obvious publicity stunt to promote the fight, Inoue nonetheless praised Cardenas as a tough, deserving opponent who readily took up the challenge of facing him. Inoue also thanked the American boxing fans for "faithfully following" his fights even those held in Japan.
Arum had originally planned to pit Inoue against WBA #1 Alan Picasso, also of Mexico but Picasso begged off for not being ready. Picasso would have been a viable challenger, having an unblemished record and beaten at least one world rated opponent, Azat Hovhanissian in his fight resume. Aside from being taller at 5'8", Picasso possesses a different style of fighting from the previous opponents of Inoue.
But with Picasso out, Arum, being the main promoter of this bout in the US, Inoue"s first since 2021, seems to be making another hard sell with Ramon Cardenas using Inoue as spokesman though Naoya does not speak English.
Arum is holding this promotion in time for the Mexican Cinco de Mayo festival and has settled for Cardenas, who is of Mexican blood to lure in the Mexican and Mexican American fans to watch the bout.
But pundits are skeptic. All of Inoue's previous fights in the USA had turned out as mismatches, the last being a three round demolition of fringe Filipino contender Michael Dasmariñas in 2021. They say that holding the fight in Las Vegas is "expensive", given that Cardenas is not expected to last six rounds.
Since latching up with Inoue in 2019 following the first unification bout against aging Filipino champion Nonito Donaire which Naoya almost lost, Arum has planned for a huge reintroduction fight for the Japanese star in the US. But Arum himself torpedoed the scheduled 2020 unification versus then Filipino WBO titlist Johnriel Casimero who is known by American fight fans. Arum instead fed Inoue Australian ex-IBF champion Jason Moloney who lasted just seven rounds.
Then the Dasmariñas massacre in 2021.
And now it appears is Cardenas' turn.
Since losing on points in 2017, Cardenas has not been defeated. But the last fighter he defeated, Bryan Acosta, though then with unbeaten 20-0 record had beaten in his last two bouts, foes with combined 39 wins, 26 losses record.
How is that for credentials?
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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