Naoya Inoue will defend his super-bantamweight titles on Cinco De Mayo weekend against Ramon Cardenas, but there could soon be far bigger fights in store for ‘The Monster’.
This Cinco De Mayo weekend is set for a whole host of action – from The Ring Magazine’s event in Times Square featuring Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Teofimo Lopez to Canelo‘s quest for the two-time undisputed super-middleweight crown against William Scull, it’s sure to entertain.
It is on the Sunday of that same weekend that Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue is set to defend his titles against 26-1 Ramon Cardenas, whose only loss came almost ten years ago.
Though they are divisions apart, many have called for a super-fight between Japan’s knockout artist and Baltimore’s champ, Gervonta Davis, whose prodigy, Jalil Hackett, was mocked for failing to avenge his sole defeat.
Davis has spoken highly of Inoue in the past, with many hoping the pair’s respect for one another may guide them into the ring some day in the future.
“He is GOOD”… Gervonta Davis is impressed by Japanese ‘Monster’ Naoya Inoue
In some resurfaced footage posted to X, ‘Tank’ Davis can be seen singing Inoue’s praises Inoue ahead of his clash with Stephen Fulton.
Davis said of Inoue: “He is good.” He repeated this sentiment seven times in the 50-second clip, and commented “Imma watch him’ when he learnt Inoue was fighting that weekend.
Inoue stopped the previously undefeated Fulton in the eighth round to claim his super-bantamweight titles.
Davis posted on X wishing Inoue luck at the start of this year, ahead of his most recent fight against Ye Joon Kim, a late replacement for Sam Goodman, who Inoue stopped in the fourth round: “Yo NAOYA INOUE good luck fam..”
“I know who my money’s on”… Fans continue to call for ‘The Monster’ vs ‘Tank’ in catchweight super-fight
Following Inoue’s dominant win over Fulton, fans have called for a super fight with Davis, who cried at an Adrien Broner fight, even though he is in the lightweight division.
Fans wrote the following:
“Idc what tank fans say, if they’re at the same weight Naoya is his biggest threat yet.”
“i’m a huge fan of tank but i think inoue stops him, to fast and to powerful – tank likes to be patient and only fire shots that are going to land, very precise – inoue has pin point accuracy but also is so fast and powerful – can’t see tank beating him”
Others, however, pointed to the clear obstacle of their weight difference:
“It will never happen, the weight difference is too much. Even a catch weight might not be possible.”
“Y’all trying to put that man in a casket”.
It is unclear if the fight between the pair will ever happen, but, given Inoue was dropped by Luis Nery in their fight, it is clear that ‘The Monster’ is not invincible, and Davis’ weight advantage would be a huge factor to overcome.