Naoya Inoue and the slap in the face to the “American boxing standard”

Naoya Inoue’s performance not only proved his abilities in response to doubts from the American boxing community, but also served as a major rebuke to a string of previous underwhelming fights.

Inoue defeated Ramon Cardenas in his fourth defense of the undisputed super-bantamweight title. With 30 wins and 27 knockouts, the Japanese “Monster” continues to build an extraordinary legacy.

A total of 256 clean punches landed out of 752 thrown — that’s what Inoue and Cardenas produced in under eight rounds. The bout delivered a full spectrum of emotions: surprise, intensity, and the thrill of anticipation right up to the final moments.

Cardenas stunned everyone by knocking Inoue down in the second round, becoming only the second man to drop the Japanese boxing icon — the first being a fellow Mexican fighter in 2024. His sharp angle-cutting counter left hook pierced through Inoue’s habit of dropping his right hand during close-range attacks.

Despite the early knockdown, Inoue bounced back and maintained a relentless back-and-forth exchange over the next seven rounds. In the seventh, Inoue scored his first knockdown, driving Cardenas into the corner, before sealing the fight in the eighth with a powerful combination that forced the referee to step in and stop the bout.

Naoya Inoue and Ramon Cardenas delivered eight rounds of high-quality, intense action

Naoya Inoue’s victory was the strongest rebuttal yet to boxing fans who have insisted he prove himself on American soil, under the scrutiny of the country’s regulatory bodies. The 1993-born fighter met every professional expectation upon his return to the U.S. after four years, facing an American-Mexican opponent and delivering a completely convincing knockout win.

But beyond the numbers, this fight carried a much deeper meaning for the global boxing community. It was a much-needed “thirst quencher” after two consecutive days of lackluster performances from American stars.

Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Teofimo Lopez were the headliners of the “Fatal Fury” event series on May 3 and 4.

However, fans were left disappointed as the title defense between Canelo Alvarez and William Scull produced just 111 landed punches over 12 rounds — a bout that “set records” for being one of the least active and least accurate 12-round fights in boxing history.

The audience had to endure a lethargic Scull and a relaxed Canelo, resulting in one of the most forgettable records in boxing history

To put it simply, Naoya Inoue alone landed 176 punches in just eight rounds — more than 1.5 times the total number of punches landed by both Canelo Alvarez and William Scull combined over 12 rounds. Jokingly speaking, Canelo and Scull would have needed to fight until the 18th round just to match the number of clean shots Inoue landed to stop Cardenas.

That embarrassing record was the final straw in a string of underwhelming performances, following the Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney bouts just a day earlier. Against Rolly Romero, Garcia appeared lackluster and was knocked down in the same fashion Gervonta Davis had previously exposed. Meanwhile, although Devin Haney secured a win over Jose Ramirez, “The Dream” once again showcased a style that lacked drama and engagement. Technically sound and undeniably skilled, Haney still failed to deliver the kind of excitement that fans expect from a world champion.

Three 12-round fights, spread over two consecutive days, all featuring top American stars — yet the global audience was left with an overwhelming sense of disappointment. The matches lacked impact, energy, and entertainment, with not a single knockout to be found.

Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney left little to remember, offering nothing more than lackluster performances that failed to stir any real emotion

Naoya Inoue didn’t just silence the doubts of American boxing fans regarding his ability to perform on U.S. soil — his display in the ring made even the most skeptical spectators turn away from their own homegrown fighters to applaud a rising star from Asia.

Inoue’s performance didn’t merely “quench the thirst” of fans or salvage what had been a disastrous weekend for the sport — it was a powerful slap in the face to the persistent narrative that “only American boxing is elite” or that the “American standard is the highest.”

Now, Inoue continues his journey as the reigning champion, and fans around the world have every reason to anticipate that each time he steps into the ring, it will be a fierce, electrifying battle — no matter who the opponent is, where the fight takes place, or how it’s promoted.