Inoue’s Fast-Lane Road littered with KO’s 

Naoya “Monster” Inoue will defend his undisputed super-bantamweight championship against Ramon Cardenas on Sunday May 4.

Inoue, with his devastating KO power, lightning speed and superb, silky skills, has become an icon of modern boxing and one of the hardest-hitting boxers today.

Naoya Inoue fought his debut on November 2, 2012 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. He faced Crison Omayao whom he knocked out in the fourth round.

Two fights were enough for him to get a title shot. A year after his debut, in 2013, “Monster” won the Japanese boxing commission’s light flyweight title..

Four months later, he knocked out Jerson Mancio in the fifth round to win the Eastern and Pacific Boxing Federation crown.

Naoya was already making his potential clear. After 5 consecutive wins, 4 of them by KO, Inoue got his shot at the WBC world title.

In April 2014, Inoue faced Adrian “Confessor” Hernandez for the world light flyweight crown. The Japanese once again showed the KO power, by sending the Mexican to the canvas in the sixth round snatching his crown via TKO.

After one title defense, he left his crown vacant.

After 4 years as Super flyweight champion, he moved up divisions to conquer the bantamweight.

In June 2022, Inoue became WBC champion again by knocking out Nonito Donaire in the second round.

Inoue became undisputed bantamweight champion on December 13, 2022 when he knocked out then IBF champion Paul Butler.

Having conquered and cleared out the 118-pound division, Inoue moved up again looking for a new record.

Stephen Fulton, the current WBC featherweight world champion, was the WBC and WBO super bantamweight king in 2023. He faced the Japanese in what would be his third title defense. “Monster” did not disappoint and finished the fight in 8 rounds.

The undisputed came a few months later when he defeated Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales, who held the two titles the Japanese was missing.

Since then, Naoya Inoue has successfully defended his undisputed title 3 times, with his next fight in Las Vegas against Ramon Cardenas being his fourth defense.