Naoya Inoue faced off against Ramon Cardenas in a thrilling boxing match, marking Inoue’s first fight in the U.S. since 2021. Despite being the favorite, Inoue was surprisingly knocked down by Cardenas in the second round but managed to regain control and secured a victory with a TKO in the eighth round.

Cardenas started strongly, landing several jabs, but Inoue’s potent punches soon turned the tide. After enduring the knockdown, Inoue began to dominate, resulting in a series of powerful combinations that led to a knockdown for Cardenas later in the fight.

“I think watching the fight tonight, everybody is very aware that I like to brawl,” Inoue remarked after the match. “I was very surprised by the knockdown, but I was able to calmly put myself together.”

With this victory, Inoue improved to a flawless record of 30-0, having won 27 of those matches by knockout. He plans to stay within the junior featherweight category for his next bout, likely against WBA interim champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev.