The boxing world is in turmoil following the explosive claims made by Ramón Cárdenas, who claimed he was forced to lose his fight against Naoya Inoue on May 4 at the T-Mobile Arena. In a heated interview with BoxingScene on Thursday, Cárdenas dropped a bombshell, revealing, “I was forced to lose against Naoya Inoue. I had no choice.” The accusation has sparked a flurry of speculation about possible match-fixing in the fight for the undisputed super bantamweight title, leaving the sport in suspense.
The Revelation of Cárdenas
Cardenas (26-2, 14 KOs), who lost via eighth-round TKO after a valiant effort that included a second-round knockdown to Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs), claimed he faced outside pressure before the fight. “I received threats and clear orders from my team not to win,” Cardenas confessed, tears in his eyes. “They told me that if I didn’t let Inoue win, my career and my family would suffer the consequences. It wasn’t a fair fight.” The Texan, a +1700 underdog, insisted that his heroic performance—landing 80 of 290 punches according to CompuBox—was deliberately sabotaged in the later rounds.
Cárdenas specifically pointed to a member of his own training staff as the link to the alleged threats, suggesting the orders came from “higher interests” who wanted to protect Inoue’s reign. Although he didn’t provide concrete evidence in the interview, he promised to turn over documents and recordings to the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a formal investigation.
Reactions and Scandal in Boxing
Cardenas’s statement immediately sparked chaos. Fans on social media were divided, with one X user writing, “If this is true, Inoue and his team are finished—total outrage!” while another retorted, “Cardenas is just making excuses for losing. Inoue legitimately dominated him.” Inoue’s promoter, Bob Arum, dismissed the accusations as “ridiculous and baseless,” stating, “Naoya won with talent, not cheating. This is just a desperate attempt by Cardenas to gain relevance.”
However, the second-round incident, where Inoue was knocked down but given extra time to recover according to some critics, has resurfaced as a point of contention. ESPN’s Timothy Bradley Jr. commented, “If there’s proof, this would change everything. Boxing can’t afford another scandal like this.” The Nevada State Athletic Commission has announced it will investigate Cárdenas’s claims, which could lead to sanctions or even annulment of the result if irregularities are confirmed.
What’s Next for Inoue and Cárdenas?
Cárdenas’s bombshell comes at a critical time, just as Inoue had requested an immediate rematch to erase the stain of the knockdown. Now, his legacy is at stake, and an investigation could delay his plans against Murodjon Akhmadaliev in September. For Cárdenas, the revelation could be a double-edged sword: if his innocence is proven, he could demand a fair rematch; otherwise, he risks being seen as a conspirator. With world boxing hanging over the investigation, the coming weeks promise to be an earthquake that could redefine the careers of both fighters.
