Naoya Inoue Set for U.S. Return, Defends Undisputed Title Against Ramon Cardenas

Japanese boxing sensation Naoya Inoue is set to make his highly anticipated return to the United States, defending his undisputed junior featherweight world title against San Antonio native Ramon Cardenas on Sunday, May 4, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This marks Inoue’s first fight in the U.S. since 2021. Since then, he has secured two undisputed championships, further cementing his legacy as a dominant force in the sport.

Event Details

The fight is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotion, Teiken Promotions, and Sampson Boxing.

Pre-sale tickets go live Thursday, March 13, at 10 a.m. PT

Public on-sale begins Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. PT via AXS.com

Broadcast and undercard information will be announced soon

Inoue’s Dominance

With an unblemished record of 29-0 (26 KOs), Inoue has been unstoppable in championship fights, holding a staggering 24-0 record with 22 knockouts in world title bouts. His reign of terror began in April 2014, when he knocked out Adrian Hernandez to claim the WBC light flyweight title.

Inoue’s career highlights include:

Seven title defenses at junior bantamweight

Undisputed bantamweight champion, stopping Paul Butler to unify all four belts

Two victories over Nonito Donaire, including a dominant second-round stoppage

Becoming undisputed junior featherweight champion in just two fights, knocking out Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales

Headlining at Tokyo Dome in front of 50,000 fans, stopping Luis Nery in six rounds

Two additional title defenses, including a seventh-round knockout of TJ Doheny and a fourth-round finish of Ye Joon Kim

Excited for his U.S. return, Inoue stated:

"I am thankful to the fans in America who have followed my career. 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."

Cardenas’ Chance at Glory

Riding a 14-fight winning streak, Cardenas (26-1, 14 KOs) has earned his first shot at a world title. His rise to contender status accelerated in 2024, with key wins including:

Breaking Israel Rodriguez Picazo’s jaw, forcing a stoppage

Ninth-round knockout of Eduardo Ramirez in a tough battle

Overcoming a sixth-round knockdown to defeat unbeaten Bryan Acosta last month in San Antonio

After the Acosta victory, Cardenas boldly called for a showdown with Inoue, saying: “I want to fight the best.” Now, he gets his chance to pull off a historic upset.

"This means the world to me," 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. When the fight was offered, I instantly accepted. This is the opportunity of a lifetime."

With Cinco de Mayo weekend as the backdrop, Inoue vs. Cardenas promises to be a high-stakes battle under the bright lights of Las Vegas.