"THE MONSTER" SURVIVES EARLY SCARE, DESTROYS CARDENAS IN THRILLING WAR TO RETAIN UNDISPUTED CROWN
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 05 May 2025
In a historic boxing weekend marred by big disappointments from the Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Canelo Alvarez fights, Naoya "The Monster" Inoue reminded the world why he reigns as the undisputed king of the lower weights where he survived an early knockdown to brutally dismantle game challenger Ramon Cardenas in an eight-round firefight that electrified Cinco de Mayo at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The sold-out, pro-Cardenas Mexican crowd erupted in chaos in Round 2 when the heavy underdog landed a monstrous left hook that sent Inoue crashing to the canvas—just the second knockdown of his legendary career. Cardenas, a relentless pressure fighter, smelled blood and charged forward, unloading furious combinations as Inoue, dazed but never panicked, weathered the storm.
By Round 4, Inoue’s surgical precision and freakish power began carving up Cardenas. A vicious body assault slowed the challenger’s aggression, and in Round 5, Inoue turned the tide with a hellacious right hand that buckled Cardenas’ knees. In round 6 Cardenas, showing iron resolve, fired back in between Inoue's suffocating offense but it is apparent from this juncture the Japanese phenom was totally taking over the fight.
By round 7, all the hallmarks of Inoue's legend – the blinding speed, the earth-shattering power, the suffocating pressure honed in countless ring wars – converged with brutal efficiency. It was then that Cardenas, who had stood defiant until that cataclysmic moment, finally gave way, his descent to the canvas mirroring the dramatic, shuddering fall of a mighty tree after a relentless, chopping barrage. Fallen but still unbowed, Cardenas stood up defiantly to finish the round.
Inoue put on the finishing touches early in round 8 round. Now in full "Monster" mode, Inoue trapped Cardenas against the ropes and unleashed a barrage of hooks, uppercuts, and body blows, forcing referee Thomas Taylor to stepped in at 45 seconds of the round to save Cardenas from further punishment.
The stoppage brought the capacity crowd to its feet—not out of disappointment, but sheer awe. They had witnessed something special: a battle between two warriors willing to leave everything in the ring. And while Cardenas gave it his all, Inoue proved once again that he operates on another level entirely.
"He caught me clean—great punch," admitted Inoue, still undefeated and now with 11 straight stoppages. "But I was able to recover and made it into a thrilling fight."
Inoue's undefeated record has now improved to 30-0 with 27 KOs while Cardenas dropped to 22-2, 14KOs.
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