Inoue Vs. Akhmadaliev Fight Signed, Likely For September 14th In Tokyo

SUNDAY: Inoue vs Cardenas and Rafael Espinoza vs Edward Vazquez will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Just moments ago, via a message put out on X by promoter Eddie Hearn, it was announced that a fight between Naoya Inoue and Murodjon Akhmadaliev has been signed. The fight happening is, of course, reliant on “Monster” Inoue, the unified four-belt super bantamweight champion, coming through okay at the weekend, when he will fight Ramon Cardenas, this in Las Vegas in Inoue’s first fight back on US soil in some years.

“Done deal, finally!! Uzbek Power vs The Monster. Best fight in the division,” Hearn wrote, clearly whilst excited.

And why not be excited about this fight? For some time, “MJ” as the once-beaten Akhmadaliev is known, has accused Inoue of ducking and dodging him. Now, Inoue, 29-0(26) will look to silence the man from Uzbekistan once and for all. Murodjon is 13-1(10) and he has been beaten only by common opponent Marlon Tapales, who edged him on points in a close one back in April of 2023, with “MJ” losing his WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles after having logged up three retentions.

Since losing to Tapales (who Inoue stopped to become unified 122-pound king in December of 2023), Akhmadaliev has won two in a row. In his last fight, in December, “MJ” crushed Ricardo Espinoza Franco in impressive fashion to become the interim WBA champion. Now, likely in Tokyo on September 14th, Akhmadaliev will get the big fight he has been calling for.

But will “The Monster” make Akhmadaliev regret getting what he asked for? Again, Inoue has to get past the 26-1(14) Mexican known as “Dinamita,” but although Cardenas has never been stopped, most fans feel Inoue will get the job done in style at The T-Mobile.

Inoue, it has now been proven, is no ducker. Inoue aims to stop Cardenas, then Akhmadaliev, then it could either be an all-Japanese super fight with Junto Nakatani, or maybe a move up to the featherweight division for Inoue, and maybe a fight with thrilling, all-action British warrior Nick Ball.

Sunday, May 4

ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

Naoya Inoue vs. Ramon Cardenas, 12 rounds, Inoue’s Undisputed Junior Featherweight World Title

Rafael Espinoza vs. Edward Vazquez, 12 rounds, Espinoza’s WBO Featherweight World Title 

ESPN+ (6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT)

Rohan Polanco vs. Fabian Maidana, 10 rounds, Polanco’s WBO Intercontinental Welterweight Title

Patrick O’Connor vs. Marcus Smith, 4 rounds, Cruiserweight (swing bout)