The next fight for Naoya Inoue is confirmed for May 4, as the Japanese boxing star returns to the U.S. to face Ramon Cardenas. The pair battle it out in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Inoue puts his undisputed 122-pound title on the line, making the fourth defense of his belts. The broadcast is expected on ESPN+.
In February, it was reported that undefeated Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) would face Mexico’s unbeaten Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) at the same venue in mid-June. After the contest fell through, Top Rank announced the clash with Cardenas on Wednesday.
31-year-old Inoue steps through the ropes in the U.S. for the first time since mid-2021, when he stopped Michael Dasmarinas in the third round also in Las Vegas. In his previous fight in January, the four-weight champion knocked out late-replacement opponent Ye Joon Kim in the fourth round.
“I am thankful to the fans in America who have followed my career,” Naoya Inoue said. “Fighting at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is another career highlight, and I look forward to putting on a great show for everyone in attendance. Cardenas is a tough opponent who I respect for accepting the fight without hesitation.”
Riding a 14-fight winning streak, once-beaten challenger Cardenas (26-1, 14 KOs) makes his first attempt to become champion. The 29-year-old native of San Antonio, Texas, is coming off a unanimous decision win against Bryan Acosta in February.
“This means the world to me,” Ramon Cardenas said. “I’ve always aspired to fight for a world title, but to get a chance to fight for all the belts is a dream come true. I always knew our paths would cross. I never had any doubts. When the fight was offered, I instantly accepted. I wouldn’t say it’s a lottery ticket, but you can’t turn it down if you get a chance at the undisputed title. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
The bouts featured on the Inoue vs Cardenas undercard are expected to be confirmed shortly.