Ramon Cardenas Calls Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani 50-50

Fighter who dropped Inoue points to distance and discipline as keys in 122lb showdown

Ramon Cardenas says Junto Nakatani has the tools to trouble Naoya Inoue if he keeps the fight at range. The warning is clear, Cardenas has shared the ring with both men and points to distance as the deciding factor.

Cardenas believes Junto has the discipline to stick to a game plan even when the pressure mounts. To succeed, Junto has to use his length to keep Naoya on the outside. If he allows Naoya to dictate the pace or get into his preferred range, the night could get short.

“When the going gets tough, Junto still sticks with the game plan, even if it may be difficult. For Junto to win this fight, he needs to use his reach to do what he wants that night. He can’t let Inoue control the pace,” said Cardenas to The Ring.

“And with Junto’s length, it could be hard to get into range. Junto is very good at using his range. When I fought Inoue, I said going in that I had to be perfect for 36 minutes. But for Junto, I feel that it could be a 50-50 fight.”

While Luis Nery and Cardenas both found success with the overhand left, Cardenas warns that Naoya has likely closed that door. He expects Naoya to keep his right hand glued to his chin, specifically drilling to ensure that same mistake isn’t repeated for a third time.

“It’s going to be difficult for Junto to drop Inoue with the overhand left the same way Luis Nery and I did because Inoue is expecting it, one hundred percent,” said Cardenas.

“You can tell that Inoue has worked on neutralizing the left hand connecting with him ever since fighting me. I’ll bet you anything they are constantly drilling to keep the right hand tucked to the chin to not let the left hand get through.”

While they are weighing in at 122 lbs, Junto is roughly 5’8” with a frame that suggests he’ll balloon significantly after the rehydration. He carries a reach advantage that will force Naoya to fight “uphill.”

Since 2024, the aura of invincibility has been cracked with the ‘Monster’ Inoue. We saw Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas put him on the floor, and his 12-round war with Murodjon Akhmadaliev last September showed that he can be forced to work for every minute of a fight. Those high-mileage rounds add up.

Inoue has been down before and pushed through hard rounds. That matters when a fight stays close late.

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