Broadcast information is now confirmed for Naoya Inoue’s U.S. ring return against Ramon Cardenas on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The champion from Japan defends his undisputed super bantamweight title against San Antonio’s challenger on May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Inoue vs Cardenas showdown will air live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+, as confirmed by Top Rank on Monday. The start time is scheduled for 10:00 pm ET / 7:00 pm PT. The event will air immediately following the Sunday Night Baseball game between Shohei Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves.
“This is a tremendous platform for Inoue to perform, as he and the incomparable Ohtani are two of Japan’s most decorated athletes,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “This promises to be a special event at T-Mobile Arena and for boxing fans watching on ESPN.”
31-year-old four-weight champion Naoya Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) makes the fourth defense of his 122-pound crown in his first fight in the U.S. since mid-2021. 29-year-old contender Ramon Cardenas (26-1, 14 KOs) makes his first attempt to top the division.
The co-feature on the card pits Rafael Espinoza (26-0, 22 KOs) from Mexico against Edward Vazquez (17-2, 4 KOs) of Fort Worth, Texas. Espinoza makes the third defense of his WBO featherweight title, while Vazquez makes his second attempt to become champion.
The bouts featured on the Inoue vs Cardenas undercard are expected to be confirmed shortly.