Commentator Tim Bradley was impressed with the way in which undisputed tremendous bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue got here again to win after being knocked down within the second spherical by Ramon Cardenas (26-2, 14 KOs) final Sunday night time on the T-Cell Area in Las Vegas.
Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) ensured he didn’t get hit with one other massive left from the challenger Cardenas just like the one which dropped him with. The Japanese star Inoue finally wore him down with pace, mixture punching, and quantity to get an eighth-round technical knockout.
Weekend Savior
Bradley warns that Inoue, 31, can not hold getting hit like he did towards Cardenas if he strikes as much as featherweight and goes after the titles in that division. Time says the fighters within the 126-lb division hit tougher, and will probably be harder for the smallish Inoue to beat them.
Inoue has already stated that he’ll keep at 122 for so long as he could make weight. That seemingly will probably be for the rest of his profession as a result of he doesn’t have an issue with weight administration.
“That’s what we would like. We need to be entertained. That was positively entertaining,” stated commentator Tim Bradley to Combat Hub TV about Naoya Inoue’s struggle towards Ramon Cardenas final Sunday night time on the T-Cell Area in Las Vegas. “I believed it was a strong efficiency.”
Inoue’s struggle towards Cardenas introduced followers the drama that they’d been lacking out on after watching two drab occasions final Friday in New York and Saturday in Riyadh. Inoue and WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza saved the weekend with their fights.
Featherweight Warning
“You’ll be able to’t be getting hit with these pictures, man,” stated Bradley about Inoue getting dropped by Cardenas within the second spherical. “You’ll be able to’t be getting hit with these pictures and happening like that. Significantly, particularly towards these caliber guys. This man [Cardenas] is an actual man. He’s a high 10 man. He’s been ID’d. He can struggle. He has punching energy in each arms.”
The way in which that Naoya was preventing within the first spherical, he wasn’t conscious of how harmful a puncher Cardenas was. He narrowly missed Inoue with some dwelling run swings together with his left, and you can inform that he would catch ‘The Monster’ Inoue ultimately and put him on the deck. Within the second spherical, it occurred, however Naoya may rise up and survive the rest of the spherical.
“The way in which he was capable of rise up, I’m going to provide him credit score. He obtained up,” stated Bradley about Naoya. “He did the identical factor he did with [Luis] Nery [after being dropped by him last year]. He broke this man down, and he was capable of get him up out of there.”
Cardenas’ punch that dropped Inoue was quite a bit tougher than the one Nery put him down with final 12 months. He was hit laborious by Cardenas with a left that landed clear. What made it extra devastating is that he didn’t see the punch coming.
“Nevertheless, you [Inoue] need to go as much as 126, and also you need to attempt to dominate that division,” stated Bradley, warning Inoue about shifting as much as featherweight. “There are some lions there, too. Dudes that may take your stuff. Bear in mind, he’s a small man shifting up. It’s difficult for him. The man tonight was like he didn’t actually hit that tough with the only punches.”
We noticed one of many lions on the undercard, WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza, who can be a pure nightmare for Inoue if he strikes as much as 126 and appears in his route for a world title. It’s uncertain that Inoue can be loopy sufficient to tackle the 6’1″ Espinoza as a result of he would know that man is simply too massive.
TKO Victory
“It was extra of an accumulative impact,” stated Bradley about Inoue. “It was extra the combos and the pace with which he punches you. It’s irritating. It’s blazing quick, it’s correct, and it’s on level. It’s powerful to cope with. Nevertheless, you noticed the place there are moments the place you possibly can reap the benefits of Inoue. It’s a must to know them,” stated Bradley.
Cardenas took benefit of a type of moments within the second spherical to knock him down. Nevertheless, he didn’t catch Inoue once more with an identical punch for the rest of the struggle. That’s his fault as a result of he was retreating to the ropes far too typically to have an opportunity of profitable.
“You bought to have movie examine and know them and acknowledge them. Nice end,” stated Bradley about Inoue. “He’s completely different. He’s a beast. Inoue, after that efficiency? I don’t suppose he’s pound-for-pound [#1]. I feel Usyk is pound-for-pound #1. I feel Crawford is behind him, and I feel Inoue is #3. Improbable night time. My gosh, [Rafael] Espinoza and Inoue saved the weekend.”
Even with a movie examine of Inoue, it will likely be laborious to defeat him except you’re enormous like Rafael Espinoza or have one-punch energy. There’s no person at 122 or 126 that has sufficient pop to do greater than what Cardenas did. The primary issues Inoue would have at featherweight are the scale of the fighters, and in Espinoza’s case, the quantity punching.
Final Up to date on 05/06/2025
