Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas Predictions: ‘The Monster’ takes Las Vegas

Undisputed super bantamweight champion of the world Naoya Inoue defends his titles against Ramon Cardenas this Sunday, May 4. ‘The Monster’ tops the bill at the T-Mobile Arena for a rare appearance on American soil. Sky Sports will broadcast the event live.

Here are my Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas predictions ahead of this super-bantamweight Sunday.

Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas Odds

Inoue’s status in the sport is reflected by the gigantic 1/100 in his favour. Cardenas is 20/1 to pull this off while the draw is out at 33/1.

Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas Fight Preview

For my money, and that of countless others, Inoue is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is the most compelling alternative, with WBA super welterweight king Terence Crawford also having a solid claim.

But in my eyes, they don’t come any better than ‘Kaibutsu’. A quick run down if you’ve been living under a rock. 29-0 with 26 devastating knockouts. Four-weight world champion. Two-weight undisputed champion. Two-time The Ring Fighter of the Year. Ended every fight by knockout for the last six years. Convinced?

The one caveat that only the most snarky of keyboard warriors still try to throw at the Japanese icon is the fact he hasn’t “proved it in the States”. Apart from being nonsense, considering his two wins on American soil, it also reduces a tremendously global sport to one country.

America has long viewed itself as the epicentre of the boxing universe. But it depends where you look. Deontay Wilder is their only heavyweight to truly convince this century. Britain has traditionally dominated super middleweight and cruiserweight, while it has fared far better at heavyweight in recent years. Germany, Mexico, Russia, Cuba and recently Ukraine can all lay claims to being fighting hotbeds.

Japan is the ruler of the lower weight classes and no one is truly the king of kings like Inoue. Churlish fight fans dismiss him as a homebody, but when you are a national hero who can fill gigantic stadiums like the Tokyo Dome, why travel?

But if Inoue didn’t answer your questions by knocking out Jason Moloney and Michael Dasmarinas in a combined time of under 10 rounds in previous Vegas visits, he’s back to do it again. The fact he has racked up those wins, plus a two-round KO of Emmanuel Rodriguez in Scotland, makes this idea Inoue doesn’t travel well quite ridiculous.

Looking to stamp Inoue’s passport with a gloved fist is Cardenas. Not a household name, sure. But one who has spent most of the last few years in all four sanctioning body world rankings. He has earned this shot the old fashioned way.

A majority decision loss to Danny Flores eight years ago is the only blemish on his record. Since then, Cardenas has won 14 fights, stopping seven opponents. Two of those wins were split decisions, suggesting he flies close too the sun at times.

You cannot afford yourself that leeway against Inoue. Some of the greatest fighters of recent memory have found that out the hard way. Nonito Donaire gave Inoue a tougher fight than most in their 2019 Fight of the Year candidate. His reward? Inoue knocked ‘Filipino Flash’ out in two rounds in the rematch. 

Unified champions Luis Nery and Marlon Tapales, Brit pair Jamie McDonnell and Paul Butler, top American Stephen Fulton and Aussie WBO world champ Jason Moloney. All have tried and all have failed. As have countless others. But the bottom line is Inoue has been in world title fights constantly at 2014. He shows no signs of stopping.

Bad news if you’re Cardenas, but he will relish this. It has been a long time coming and he truly deserves it. But do honours come any more dubious than a night stood in front of ‘The Monster’?

Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas Full Card

Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas

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Naoya Inoue vs Ramon Cardenas Predictions

Inoue and knockout are two words so inextricably linked that tipping you to back him to score one (1/8 by the way) only really works as a little kick for your acca. So let’s go a bit deeper.

It is hard to judge how long a man can last if they’ve never been knocked out. The territory is new. Is Cardenas a fighter who bites on his gumshield and drags himself off the canvas again and again? Or one who crumbles in a crisis? We just don’t know. 

There is also the chance that Cardenas is incredibly brave and resilient, but Inoue simply finds one of those perfect finishing shots of his.

Cardenas belongs here and he has earned his shot. But that does not mean he isn’t over-matched and out-gunned. I’m taking Inoue to finish this in rounds 4-6 @ 19/10.

You can find all our latest boxing betting tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page and our latest boxing odds here.