One of the biggest events on the Boxing calendar year to year is Cinco De Mayo weekend. Traditionally, this period is reserved for a marquee event in the sport as a launching point of sorts into the second half of a calendar year. 2025, however, saw three marquee events spread over three straight days as opposed to one major event that usually occurs over the weekend.
The 2025 edition of Cinco De Mayo weekend in Boxing kicked off on Friday, May 2nd with a tripleheader featuring three of the sport’s biggest stars in New York City, NY. Normally when a marquee event takes place in New York City, it is a given that the venue will be the legendary Madison Square Garden. This time, however, the sport broke new ground as this event was held outdoors in the middle of Times Square, known worldwide as the epicenter of the city. As a born and bred New Yorker, this observer was looking forward to this event. Not only because of the history attached to it in being the first sporting event to ever be held in Times Square, not only because the event saw the long awaited return of Hall of Fame broadcaster Jim Lampley after an eight year absence following HBO’s exit from the sport in 2018, but the fights themselves looked intriguing on paper.
With such a unique atmosphere in something that had never been attempted before in place and offering spectacular visuals, the first encounter of this tripleheader, which was seen globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View saw two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez defend his WBO Jr. Welterweight world championship against undefeated WBO number one rated contender Arnold Barboza. Despite looking as though it would be the most competitive and potentially entertaining fight of the entire card, Lopez showed his intelligence in Boxing his way to a wide twelve round unanimous decision to retain his world title in a fight that did not have much in the way of highlights.
In similar fashion, two-division world champion Devin Haney scored a forgettable twelve round unanimous decision over former unified Jr. Welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez in a Welterweight bout. This led to the main event of the first sporting event ever to be staged in Times Square as Ryan Garcia met Rolando Romero in a fight also scheduled for twelve rounds and also in the Welterweight division.
This fight started out looking as though it would be competitive, but following the one highlight of the bout, Romero scoring a knockdown of Garcia with a counter double left hook to the head in the second round, the bout resembled the previous two bouts on the card. A formulaic type of experience void of highlights and competitive drama, as Garcia seemed unwilling to engage following getting up from the knockdown, as Romero outworked and out maneuvered him the rest of the way to an easy twelve round unanimous decision victory.
Ultimately, what looked as an intriguing set of bouts on paper, did not live up to the occasion and atmosphere of such a unique event. Whether it was a case of the atmosphere somehow getting to the fighters or not being used to competing outdoors in New York City, the feeling coming out of this event was one that was underwhelming, but having seen Boxing successfully staged in Times Square, I openly wonder when the next event will be and who might participate next time around.
The second event of the weekend brought the Boxing spotlight to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 3rd where Super-Middleweight world champions Saul “Canelo“ Alvarez and William Scull met to determine the Undisputed Super-Middleweight championship of the world. An attraction, which was also shown globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View, offered Alvarez, the division's previous undisputed champion an opportunity to reclaim that status following being stripped of the IBF world championship when a conflict saw Alvarez choose to face the WBO's number one contender Edgar Berlanga than the IBF's mandatory challenger Scull, which then saw the unbeaten Scull win the vacant IBF crown.
While Scull's victory over Vladimir Shishkin in October of last year, made this fight with Alvarez more interesting in the sense of reunifying the division than had Alvarez faced Scull as a mandatory challenger, it is a reflection of the flaws of the politics that be in the sport in full display in that Alvarez was not allowed to defend against Berlanga and Scull in succession without losing one of the championships that made up the undisputed championship. Whether it was a case of bad timing or perhaps a more cynical approach by the IBF to build more interest in the fight between Alvarez and Scull is something the reader can decide for themselves.
What cannot be debated, however, is in a scenario quite similar to what had taken place on the other side of the world in New York City the previous evening, the unification bout between Alvarez and Scull was one that was formulaic. It was also a contest that saw one consistent pattern from start to finish. Alvarez coming forward, trying to bring the fight to Scull, landing body punches, Scull a technical boxer constantly looking to evade Alvarez with his lateral movement and landing sporadic counter punches.
While Scull, a Germany-based boxer is originally from Cuba and was raised in the sport with the Cuban amateur style, which at times has more emphasis on technique and defense rather than consistent offense, there are times where that style, as effective and dominant as it has proven to be in amateur competition, does not always translate to consistent success in the professional ranks, nor is it the most entertaining style to watch.
In this case, though he clearly succeeded in frustrating Alvarez and did manage to win rounds by limiting Alvarez’ activity, he was not aggressive and that choice to not let his hands go ultimately proved to be his demise as Alvarez became a two-time Undisputed Super-Middleweight world champion by convincing twelve round unanimous decision. Although not the most exciting performance, Alvarez simply did what he needed to do and this victory will ultimately lead to a much anticipated encounter between Alvarez and current WBO Jr. Middleweight world champion and a former two-division undisputed world champion Terence Crawford in September in Las Vegas.
While much like the previous evening, Alvarez-Scull left an underwhelming feeling for this observer, it would be the traditional Cinco De Mayo location of Las Vegas where the 2025 edition would come to a close with another undisputed world championship bout. This observer is referring to the Undisputed Jr. Featherweight world championship bout between undefeated champion Naoya Inoue and WBA number one contender Ramon Cardenas, which took place on May 4th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
On the surface, this fight, which was broadcast by digital subscription sports streaming network ESPN+ here in the United States, represented little more than the Japanese superstar Inoue's return to the United States for the first time in nearly five years when the then unified Bantamweight world champion scored a seventh round knockout of Jason Moloney behind closed doors in the convention center of the MGM Grand during the global COVID-19 epidemic where fans were not permitted to attend.
As the years have gone on Inoue has evolved into one of the biggest stars in the sport albeit away from the United States where his fights thanks to ESPN+ have been made accessible here stateside, but have taken place in the early morning hours as he has opted to compete in his native Japan, where he not only routinely draws massive crowds, but can also get top dollar whenever he competes. While this fight represented a return to America, few gave it more thought than an appearance by one of the biggest stars in the sport, who has consistently been at or near the top of Boxing's mythical pound for pound debates as he has continued going through divisions and becoming a multi-division undisputed world champion in the process.
Despite entering the fight with a 26-1, with 14 Knockouts record and being ranked number one by the World Boxing Association, not much was known about Roman Cardenas and even though he had been unbeaten since 2017 as well as never being stopped his career, few regarded him as a legitimate threat to Inoue. This perception would prove to be an example of why an opponent should never be underestimated.
In the second round, Cardenas made himself known by suddenly dropping the champion with a flush counter left hook to the jaw that sent Inoue down to the canvas for only the second time in his career. A scenario that looked eerily similar to the one Inoue found himself in against Luis Nery in May of last year where also in the second round, he was dropped by a counter left hook after he had thrown a punch and dropped his arm leaving an opening for the left, this time the fighter known as “The Monster” appeared legitimately stunned.
To his credit, Cardenas proceeded with caution and did not recklessly approach Inoue, a fighter who had twenty-six knockouts in twenty-nine professional fights coming into this title defense, but nevertheless stood his ground by continuing to apply pressure, continuing to land hard shots when given the opportunity and appearing to hurt the champion whenever he landed punches to the body. Although after four rounds the momentum appeared to clearly be in favor of the challenger, Inoue would show once again why he is regarded as not only one of the best fighters in the entire sport, but a future Hall of Famer.
In showing the ability to adapt under fire from his opposition, Inoue gradually worked his way back into the fight and by round six had started to turn the ebb and flow his way as his own power punches began to affect Cardenas. The accumulation of blows from Inoue eventually broke the challenger down in scoring a knockdown of Cardenas late in the round. While this knockdown was from the accumulation of punches Inoue was dishing out, the pace of the fight also seemed to show on the challenger, who despite getting up from the knockdown and surviving the round, looked utterly exhausted.
Sensing that the tide had turned and his opponent was compromised, Inoue forced the issue in round eight pressing forward and unleashing a barrage of unanswered punches with Cardenas pressed up against the ropes to force the fight to be stopped. While the result was what many had expected in Inoue getting a victory to retain his undisputed crown in the 122lb. Jr. Featherweight division, few expected this to be the thrilling back and forth battle that it turned out to be. It turned out to not only be a great fight, but from an entertainment standpoint, it also turned out that the fight that was treated with little regard amongst all the marquee bouts that were staged over Cinco De Mayo weekend, ended up being both the most competitive and entertaining of them all and arguably turned what had been an underwhelming stretch of events to a memorable night that will be remembered along with many other great fights that have taken place during Cinco De Mayo throughout Boxing history.
While the 2025 edition of Cinco De Mayo weekend in Boxing was a mixed variety, overall it should be viewed as successful for all the promoters who took part in it and the two networks who broadcast all the events. With the possibility of more Boxing being staged in Times Square as well as continuing to be staged in Boxing hotbeds of Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas, this observer openly wonders what's next? It would not be a bad idea if a rematch between Naoya Inoue and Ramon Cardenas were part of those future plans.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
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