He did it! Where Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Canelo Alvarez fell short, Naoya Inoue delivered, and with style. Reminiscent of his bout against Luis Nery, ‘The Monster’ bounced back from a second-round knockdown, returned the favor, and ultimately stopped Ramon Cardenas in front of a packed crowd at T-Mobile Arena. Needless to say, for many fans and followers, Inoue emerged as the savior boxing desperately needed after a sour and lackluster Cinco de Mayo weekend.

With his 30th professional win, Naoya Inoue remains undefeated and still reigns as the undisputed super bantamweight champion. The Top Rank event brought the curtain down on a dramatic weekend that kicked off at Times Square on Friday night. Headlined by the Ryan Garcia – Rolando Romero showdown, the festivities also featured appearances by Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez. The following day, the boxing world turned its eyes to Riyadh, where Canelo Alvarez reclaimed his undisputed title from William Scull. But the two Riyadh Season shows reportedly fell far short of expectations. While the official announcement of the Canelo vs. Terence Crawford clash in September excited some, the overall sentiment leaned toward disappointment.

Naoya Inoue vs. Ramon Cardenas: One for me and one for you, but that’s it!

Then came Inoue, and perhaps, with his electrifying performance, he managed to revive the sagging spirits of boxing fans worldwide. The fight began with both the champion and the challenger testing the waters with quick jabs. But by the second round, the tempo had clearly picked up.

Catching Naoya Inoue completely off guard, Ramon Cardenas landed a sharp left hook that dropped the Japanese icon to the canvas. For only the second time in his career. But fans were quickly reminded exactly why the label of ‘greatness’ fits Inoue so well. Giving a glimpse of what was to come, the champion shook off the knockdown, rallied, and returned fire. He dropped Cardenas in the seventh round. The writing was on the wall. In the eighth round, cornered and overwhelmed by a relentless flurry of combinations, Cardenas left the referee no choice but to step in and wave the fight off.

Many fans instantly began comparing Inoue’s fight to the recent performances of Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Canelo Alvarez. Despite making a flashy entrance in a Batmobile, Garcia exited in tears after a humbling defeat to former sparring partner Rolando Romero. In what turned out to be one of the dullest bouts in recent memory, throwing just 110 punches combined with Jose Ramirez, Devin Haney put viewers to sleep. Canelo’s 12-round win over William Scull was more measured. However, with a megafight against Terence Crawford looming, many questioned the effort.

So how did fans react to this final chapter in the Cinco de Mayo boxing weekend?

Now this is how it’s done!

One fan fired off a blunt reminder: “Ryan Garcia and Haney are clowns; this is what a real pound-for-pound fighter looks like.” A harsh take. But not entirely unfounded. Haney remains a top-ten pound-for-pound fighter, so the comparison may be unfair. But Ryan Garcia? He might want to take notes.

Another fan dragged Canelo into the conversation: “Inoue is embarrassing Canelo and Garcia. This dude’s a dog. I’m now a believer.” Fair or not, they weren’t alone. Cardenas was a first-time title challenger. However, he fought like an equal and brought out the best in Inoue. Something fans feel wasn’t the case with either Canelo or Garcia.

For others, Inoue’s fight salvaged an otherwise forgettable weekend. “What a fight!! It makes up for this weekend’s nonsense!!” That sentiment rang loud and clear. For fans, it’s not the glitz, the stars, or even the titles that matter most. It’s the raw, honest action between two fighters willing to risk it all.

The responses kept coming. “THANK YOU INOUE FOR SAVING THIS AWFUL WEEKEND AFTER RYAN AND CANELO,” one fan wrote. Another took it further, calling out other elite names: “Haney, Shakur, Shu Shu, Garcia—all of these guys should take notes on how to be a fan-favorite entertainer. Amazing fight, Inoue saved boxing this weekend!” Clearly, fans were hungry for real action. Inoue just delivered.

But are the jabs at Garcia, Haney, and Canelo entirely fair? Possibly not.

Interestingly, even Inoue himself praised the Canelo–Scull bout, reportedly saying, “Yes, I watched the [Canelo] fight. I think this was the most exciting fight.” That’s worth considering. In today’s competitive sports landscape, boxing can’t afford too many nights that give fans reasons to tune out. What fans crave are matchups between equals. Fights where both boxers are willing to hit and be hit.

What’s your take on the Inoue – Cardenas match?