NAOYA Inoue’s plan for 2025 is seemingly coming together, with WBA interim champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev, meanwhile, finally earning himself a title shot.
The super-bantamweight king must first get past Ramon Cardenas this Sunday, before squaring off against the formidable Uzbek in a far more intriguing matchup later this year.
Returning to Sin City for the first time since 2021, the Japanese star will put his undisputed crown on the line at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.
Inoue, 29-0 (26 KOs), is, of course, widely expected to steamroll Cardenas who, almost from out of nowhere, has emerged as a sturdy but unremarkable contender at 122lbs.
Following what promises to be an emphatic victory, the 32-year-old is then set to face Akhmadaliev on September 14, with the pair headlining a card in Tokyo, Japan.
Both the date and location have been reported by BoxingScene, while Eddie Hearn, Akhmadaliev’s promoter, confirmed on social media yesterday that the fight is a ‘done deal.’
Despite becoming the WBA mandatory challenger towards the end of 2023, ‘MJ’ has since been denied two opportunities to test himself against the very best.
He was, in fact, twice ordered by the sanctioning body to lock horns with ‘The Monster’ last year, though stoppage victories over Luis Nery and TJ Doheny ultimately saw Inoue swerve his obligation.
The ruthless knockout artist now comes off a fourth-round finish over limited opponent Ye Joon Kim, while Akhmadaliev has amassed just two victories since his split decision defeat to Marlon Tapales in 2023.
In any case, the 30-year-old will be kept waiting in the wings for a short while longer after Inoue takes care of business, as most expect him to, against Cardenas.
