Hardcore boxing fans know exactly who this guy is, but for some of you who are still wondering, let us put it like this: Naoya Inoue isn’t just undefeated, he’s a four-division world champion and one of only three male fighters in history (alongside Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk) to become undisputed in two weight classes during the four-belt era. And his knockout-to-win ratio? A wild 89.65%. That jumps to 91.66% when we’re talking world title fights.

We last saw him in January, flattening Ye Joon Kim with a vicious 4th-round KO. And now, just months later, he’s going to defend his titles for the 4th time against Ramon Cardenas, who, by the way, is riding a 14-fight win streak. Sounds like a banger, right? But here’s the twist. This fight is going down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 4, and ticket sales… are dead. Like, completely lifeless. And honestly? Inoue and his team are frustrated.

Why? That’s because back home in Japan, The Monster is a massive draw. Every time he fights there, the arenas sell out. But this is his first fight outside of Japan in four years—and clearly, the U.S. turnout isn’t matching the hype. Kinda like how American fighters struggle to pull big PPV numbers when they fight in Riyadh, Naoya Inoue is now experiencing the same thing in reverse. Despite being one of the most dangerous and accomplished fighters of this generation, it seems the American audience hasn’t caught on just yet. And Rick Glaser couldn’t stay calm without sharing his thoughts on the numbers.

Yesterday, the American promoter took to his X and dropped a not-so-subtle truth bomb on the state of Inoue’s upcoming fight in Vegas, and it’s… not looking good. “Told by multiple sources Inoue tickets at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas May 4 on ESPN are totally dead,” he wrote. Like, beyond flat. Glaser even joked that they’re “so dead the tickets should be given last rites!”

Now, you’d think a fighter like Naoya Inoue—undisputed, pound-for-pound elite—would have fans lining up around the block. But apparently, that’s not happening. And who’s catching the heat for this mess? None other than the promoter—Top Rank. Word is, “Team Inoue isn’t happy about the promotional flob. The Promoter, none other than Top Rank.” They were expecting a big Vegas splash… and instead, it’s more like a quiet ripple. According to Glaser, this kind of flop is just “Boxing at Top Rank nowadays.” Brutal.

Remember when Naoya Inoue shocked everyone—not by winning, but by getting knocked down for the first time in his 12-year professional career? That moment came against Luis Nery in Japan, in front of a sold-out Tokyo Dome with around 55,000 stunned fans. But true to his “Monster” nickname, the 31-year-old bounced back, dropped Nery three times, and finished him in the sixth round with a brutal right hook.

That fight was a massive event in Japan. But now that the 29-0, 26 KO boxer is finally fighting in the U.S., fans aren’t turning out like expected. Why? Most people already assume the outcome—he’s undefeated, a knockout machine. The truth is, unless the Japanese champion gets in the ring with a big-name star like Gervonta Davis (a fight even Tank himself once entertained), it’s hard to see ticket sales spiking outside Japan.

So after this fight, the big question becomes: What’s next for Naoya Inoue? And will it be enough to finally get American fans to show up and tune in? Here’s the answer.

Naoya Inoue’s bank account is set to grow again this fall

Looks like Eddie Hearn has finally had enough of Naoya Inoue dodging his fighter. The Matchroom boss has been growing more and more frustrated over Inoue’s repeated decisions to skip a showdown with Murodjon Akhmadaliev, despite the WBA ordering it twice in 2024. Instead, the Japanese Monster chose to fight TJ Doheny and later aimed for Sam Goodman (before Goodman pulled out due to injury), replacing him with Ye Joon Kim. Naturally, Team Akhmadaliev wasn’t thrilled.

Hearn didn’t hold back either. Last month, he straight-up told IFL TV, “Inoue is flat-out ducking Akhmadaliev,” and insisted there’s no excuse left. Inoue, on the other hand, fired back on X saying, “Why do I have to run away from someone who lost to [Marlon] Tapales? There’s zero need for it.” So yeah, tension was high—but things might finally be moving in the right direction.

Now, Eddie Hearn has confirmed that they’re this close to finalizing a deal for Naoya Inoue vs. Akhmadaliev in Japan this September. He even said Inoue’s upcoming fight with Cardenas could lose its “undisputed” status if this Akhmadaliev fight doesn’t happen next. So if this bout goes through, we could finally see Inoue tested in a big way. And yeah, fans might just tune in for that one.

What are your predictions for the May 4 fight? Do you think Naoya Inoue can defeat Ramon Cardenas? Do share your thoughts with us below.