Las Vegas is buzzing, and it’s not just the slot machines. On Sunday, May 4, Japan’s boxing juggernaut Naoya Inoue steps back onto American soil to defend his undisputed junior featherweight crown against San Antonio’s Ramon Cardenas. The T-Mobile Arena, no stranger to epic fight nights, will host this Top Rank Boxing clash, and fans are itching to know when the main event kicks off.
The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET, but the ring walks for Inoue and Cardenas are slated for around 11 p.m. ET. That’s 8 p.m. PT for the West Coast crowd and a bleary-eyed 4 a.m. BST for UK fans staying up on a bank holiday Monday. If the undercard fights—six of them, packed with title bouts and rising stars—run long, those times could shift. Boxing’s unpredictable like that.
Inoue, a 32-year-old knockout machine with a 29-0 record and 26 stoppages, hasn’t fought in the U.S. since June 2021, when he flattened Michael Dasmarinas in three rounds. Since then, he’s been a wrecking ball in Japan, racking up eight straight knockouts and snagging undisputed titles in two weight classes. Cardenas, 29, is no pushover, though. With a 26-1 record and 14 knockouts, he’s riding a 14-fight win streak, his latest a unanimous decision over Bryan Acosta in February. This is his first crack at a world title, and he’s stepping into the lion’s den.
The co-main event pits Mexico’s Rafael Espinoza, an undefeated WBO featherweight champ, against Edward Vazquez. Other bouts feature Rohan Polanco vs. Fabian Maidana for a welterweight regional title and Emiliano Vargas vs. Juan Leon for a junior welterweight strap. Prelims stream on ESPN+ from 6:15 p.m. ET, with the main card also airing on ESPN and Disney+.
Tickets are on sale through AXS.com, and the event, promoted by Top Rank alongside Ohashi Promotion, Teiken Promotions, and Sampson Boxing, is expected to draw a packed house. For viewers, ESPN+ carries the fight in the U.S. for $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year, while Sky Sports broadcasts it in the UK. Fubo offers a free trial for cord-cutters looking to stream.
Inoue vs. Cardenas is the capstone of a hectic Cinco de Mayo weekend, following Canelo Alvarez’s bout in Riyadh and Ryan Garcia’s return in New York. The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds, with Inoue’s WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring titles on the line.