Following Ramon Cardenas`s TKO loss to Naoya Inoue early Monday morning, the decision to stop the fight drew some questions. However, Cardenas`s trainer, Joel Diaz, has now defended referee Thomas Taylor`s intervention, stating it was not premature.
Despite entering the fight as a significant underdog against the undefeated Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs), Ramon Cardenas (26-2, 14 KOs) delivered a performance that exceeded expectations, proving his worth as a competitor even in defeat.
`Dinamita,` as Cardenas is known, made history by becoming just the second fighter to knock down Inoue in a professional bout, scoring a dramatic knockdown in the second round that visibly shook `The Monster`.
However, showcasing the resilience of a great champion, Inoue quickly recovered and took control of the fight. Nevertheless, Cardenas continued to challenge him through the first half before being dropped by Inoue at the close of the seventh round.
In Cardenas`s corner after the seventh, trainer Joel Diaz instructed his fighter to avoid being trapped on the ropes, indicating he would allow him one more round to improve as Inoue intensified his attack, pursuing his 11th consecutive stoppage victory.
The decision was ultimately taken out of Diaz`s hands. Just 45 seconds into the eighth round, referee Thomas Taylor stepped in to wave off the contest after Inoue unleashed a barrage of punches.
While some fans and fighters on social media criticized Taylor`s stoppage as potentially early, Diaz clarified in an interview with Boxing News that he fully supported the decision, stating the referee “beat him to it.”
Diaz elaborated, explaining, “I was going to stop it anyways because I didn’t want him to be taking punches on the ropes. I told him after the previous round that I was going to stop the fight if he [Cardenas] stays on the ropes.” He added, “I was about to stop it when the referee beat me to it.”
Regardless of the outcome, Cardenas has rightly earned significant praise for his performance. He effectively silenced doubters and undoubtedly secured his place for future opportunities on the big stage, with potential matchups against top contenders like Luis Nery and Marlon Tapales already being discussed.
