Naoya Inoue, the undisputed champion of Super Bantamweight, has sent shock waves through the world of boxing by demanding an immediate rematch with Ramon Cárdenas a few days after surviving a dramatic scare in his recent shock on May 4 in T-Mobile Arena. The Japanese “monster”, who retained his titles with an eighth Ronda Tko, admitted that the fight left him questioning his invincibility, and is now determined to prove that he can dominate the cardinals without the early stumble that almost cost him everything.
A fight that shook its nucleus
Inoue (30-0, 27 kos) faced one of the most difficult challenges of his career when Cárdenas (26-2, 14 kos) attacked him with a devastating left hook in the second round: the second fall of Inoue’s race. Although he gathered to stop Cárdenas in the eighth, the fight was a call for the star of Libra by Libra. “I was not myself that night,” Inoue confessed at a press conference on May 7, his unusually tense voice. “Cárdenas showed me that I am not untouchable. I need to face it again, immediately, to show that it is still the best.” The announcement surprised at 8,474 fans who witnessed the thriller, as well as the Global Audience in ESPN, who expected Inoue to go to his scheduled September fight with Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
The fight itself was a roller coaster. After the early fall, Inoue changed the course with a fall of the seventh round, courtesy of a series of straight straight hands, before finishing the cardinals with a flood of blows in the eighth. Compubox statistics showed an landing of 176 of 462 blows, but the resistance of the Cárdenas, altering 80 of 290 shots despite being a loser of +1700, is a lasting impression. The promoter of Cardenas, Sampson Lewkowicz, revealed that Inoue’s team had already expressed interest in bringing Cárdenas to Japan, but few anticipated Inoue would press for a rematch as soon.
The boxing world reacts
Inoue’s demand has caused a fierce debate. Fans on social networks are divided, with some praising their warrior spirit, an X publication that reads: “Inoue is a real champion for wanting to erase that scare!”, While others question his trust, with another user who says: “He shook. Cárdenas got into his head.” Analysts are equally divided. Timothy Bradley Jr. De ESPN, who previously called the return of Inoue “terrifying”, warned that hurrying to a rematch could be counterproductive. “Inoue is showing cracks, another fight with Cárdenas as soon as he could expose it even more,” Bradley said.
Cárdenas, meanwhile, welcomed the challenge. “I made him try the canvas once, I will do it again,” he saidBoxingsceneOn May 6, hinting at his preparation to face Inoue in Japan. However, concerns persist about Inoue’s condition. Some reports suggest that the punishing nature of the fight may have jeopardized its planning planning of September, asking questions about whether it is risking too much by prioritizing revenge on recovery.
What follows “The Monster”?
Inoue’s copromotor, Bob Arum, confirmed that discussions for a rematch are in progress, potentially in August 2025, although any place has been completed. “Naoya wants this fight, and we will make it come true,” said Arum. Meanwhile, Boxing World observes content. Innoue will demand its anura of invincibility, or Cárdenas has discovered a plan to dethrone “the monster”? One thing is safe: Inoue’s shocking call for an immediate rematch has prepared the stage for another explosive chapter in his historical history.
