Naoya Inoue Invacinte du Japan has retained its unconfined world crown on COQ weights on Sunday, climbing canvas to stop Ramon Cardenas American in the eighth round in Las Vegas.
Inoue improved at 30-0 with his 27th victory inside the distance when referee Thomas Taylor stopped the fight 45 seconds from the eighth round after a wave of powerful punches by the champion with cardenas capable of covering himself.
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“Looking at the fight, everyone is very aware that I like to fight,” said Inoue.
Inoue was overthrown for the second time in his career, by a left hook of the heavy oppressed in the second round, but the champion was adjusted and pressed the attack from there.
“I was very surprised but I was able to come together calmly,” said Inoue through a translator.
“In the first round, I thought I had a fairly good distance, but in the second round, he dropped himself a little. And then from there, I made sure I would no longer take this punch.”
The 32 -year -old Japanese star nicknamed “The Monster” defended her undisputed world title in the 122 -pound (55.3 kg) division for the fourth time.
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The fight marked his return to Las Vegas for the first time in four years, Inoue fighting outside Japan for the first time since 2021.
Inoue came out of a Knock-out of Kim Ye-Joon from South Korea in Tokyo in January.
Inoue was not taken to the maximum distance of 12 laps in a fight since a victory for a 2019 unanimous decision against the Philippin Non Ito Donaire, after having won 11 fights since.
– 'not so simple' –
Cardenas, 29, fell to 26-2 but made a match effort in his first world title fight.
“Regarding the ratings, he was very far away, but I knew he was hard,” said Inoue. “Boxing is not so simple.”
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Cardenas overturned Inoue in the last seconds of the second, the Japanese star landing in the back and quickly got on his knees and getting up just before the end of the Tower.
Inoue attacked with the blow in the third round, but Cardenas defended well and threatened again with the left, overthrowing the champion back and following with a solid right.
In the fourth round, the two fighters exchanged powerful and punishing punches while Inoue supported the challenger in a corner and launched a furious dam, but Cardenas escaped and responded in a slugfest of the toe at the end while the crowd was roaring.
Inoue pressed the attack with her left hand in the fifth, but punch that supported him.
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An inoue left to the body injured Cardenas halfway in six rounds and the champion sparked a series of punching strokes while the American covered and succeeded in a tour where Inoue landed 33 punches.
A hard right by Inoue Piqué, and a solid left to the body doubled cardenas in the seventh.
A punistent series of four straight hands to the head by Inoue sent cardenas staggered in the corner strings, squatting there in a knockdown for Inoue before the bell rolled up to finish the tower.
After a powerful right hand by Inoue at the beginning of the eighth round, Cardenas was staggered and against the ropes, encouraging referee Taylor to jump between drummers and stop the fight.
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Inoue was already looked at by rivals even before her fight begins.
“I know a fight against Naoya Inoue, this is what would catapult me in celebrity,” said Rafael Espinosa unbeatenu in Mexico, who improved at 27-0 with a seventh round stop by the American Edward Vazquez on the Undercard to defend his world feather crown organization.
JS / BB
