On The Watch “It’s All About Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas”

Undisputed Junior Featherweight Showdown

Last night’s Top Rank/ESPN+ Main Event between Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Featherweight Champion Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 Kos) and challenger Ramon Cardenas (26-2, 14 Kos), single handedly saved the entire heavy weekend of boxing by giving us fans the excitement that was missing throughout the weekend when these two warriors graced the inside of that squared circle at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This bout was action packed from start to finish. Both combatants were very sharp and brought the “HEAT” while exchanging some serious leather with “BOMBS” coming from both sides. Inoue’s aggressive style is very crowd pleasing but can sometimes leave openings when not careful and that is exactly what transpired when he got caught late in the second round with a counter left hook and tasted the canvas for a quick standing 8 count. He brushed himself off though while the fans in attendance erupted with “HYPE” as the action was about to blow up!

From round three, the action picked up from both combatants. I was impressed by Cardenas who stood his ground and fought toe-to-toe and asserted himself quite well and made it an entertaining bout as the rounds progressed.

That being said, a highly motivated Inoue stepped his game up and his pressure as he started to walk down his opponent while administering some heavy shots loaded with combinations. The inevitable was near as Inoue’s onslaught was becoming painfully hard for Cardenas to avoid and he eventually folded in the corner to a standing 8 count in the seventh round. The crowd once again erupted to their feet as Cardenas survived the round.

By the start of round eight the unanswered onslaught came in hot and Cardenas was pinned on the ropes absorbing some serious leather which then prompted the referee to halt the bout. Some will say that the stoppage was premature but truth be told, the end was truly inevitable as the punches were coming in at a higher clip with some serious power behind them.

With this convincing win now under his belt, Naoya Inoue retained his Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Featherweight Championship Titles and continues to reign supreme.

Well done, Champ.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery”

Undisputed Junior Featherweight Showdown

Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Junior Featherweight Champion Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 Kos) once again continued his dominant performance this morning but did take a stray bullet in the form of a knockdown when he took on heavy fisted challenger Luis Nery (35-2, 27 Kos) at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

Both combatants came out the gate looking for their respect and aiming to land something big to set the tone and to everyone’s surprise, the first one to land that detonator was Nery with a mean left hook that chin checked Inoue and dropped him for a quick standing 8 count that had the crowd in attendance shocked and breathless for about 5 until Inoue bounced back up and survived the round.

Now that being said, Nery did not capitalize on his one opportunity to take out the Champ and on missing that short window, “the Monster” was released from that point on. In the second round, Inoue reasserted himself and pressed the action to getting his “get back” and dropping Nery with a powerful counter left hand that evened the score with a standing 8 count of his own.

With the playing field now even, Inoue showed us why he is levels above his competition inside that squared circle as he proceeded to raise his punch output and accuracy in a tactical fashion boxing and avoiding Nery’s bullish attempts.

By round five Nery was getting desperate and reckless and paid dearly for it by getting dropped by a left hook for another standing 8 count with 35 seconds left in the round. By round six the inevitable was around the corner and Inoue wasted no time and turned into the “Monster” that he is and unloaded a barrage of unanswered punches that eventually dropped Nery to the point where the referee waived the bout off, proving once again just how powerful Inoue is inside that squared circle.

Another convincing win by the Undisputed IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Champion Naoya “The Monster” Inoue. I can’t see anybody beating this Dude at this Junior Featherweight Division.

Well done, Champ.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Stephen Fulton vs Naoya Inoue”

Unified Junior Featherweight Champion

Naoya Inoue (25-0, 22 Kos) repped his moniker “The Monster” to the fullest this morning at the Top Rank/ESPN Main Event when he completely dominated and stopped WBC/WBO Junior Featherweight Champion Stephen Fulton (21-1, 8 Kos) at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Inoue, who was fresh off capturing the Undisputed Bantamweight Championship status, moved up in weight to the Junior Featherweight Division in search of accomplishing the same by challenging the No. 1 Dude in the Division, Stephen Fulton and relieving him of his prized possessions the WBC/WBO Junior Featherweight Belts.

Fulton was rated as an exceptional worthy Champion that would definitely bring that “Heat” to Inoue but what transpired inside that squared circle this morning proved to me just how serious of a competitor Inoue really is. Dude really walks it like he talks it and backs every word with absolutely no fear of any opponent standing opposite of him. Real Talk!

I anticipated a very competitive bout to unfold but to my surprise, this was a systematic one-sided beatdown at the hands of “The Monster” Inoue who received very little resistance from the Champion Stephen. There are levels to this Boxing sh*t and this morning Inoue showed us and the World watching that, skill wise, he was far ahead of the game when placed inside squared circle with Fulton.

Stephen had utterly nothing to deter Inoue from having his way with him inside that squared circle. As great as Fulton is today, he was no match for Inoue and eventually succumbed to a stoppage in the eighth round.

With this convincing win under his belt, Inoue has now captured the WBC/WBO Junior Featherweight Championship Titles making him a four-weight Division Champion. Inoue has once again proven to the World that he’s nothing to play with inside that squared circle.

The 122-Pound Division has now been put on notice. “The Monster” is out here looking for that smoke and driven to Undisputed once again. IBF/WBA Junior Featherweight Champion Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19 Kos), you’re next!

Until then, congratulations Naoya on another convincing win!

Blaze