If the buzz about the dismal ticket sales for Naoya Inoue’s upcoming fight in Las Vegas is accurate, it’s easy to understand why this Japanese superstar tends to favor the comforts of home turf. “The Monster,” as he’s famously known, is nothing short of a phenomenon in Japan. He consistently draws massive crowds, with arenas packed to the rafters, often by 50,000 enthusiastic fans eager to watch the super-bantamweight champion in action.
Now, as he makes his return to the U.S. for only the third time since 2021, he’ll be stepping into the ring against Ramon Cardenas at The T-Mobile Arena on May 4. But here’s the kicker: tickets aren’t exactly flying off the shelves.
This tidbit comes from boxing promoter Rick Glaser via X:
“I’ve heard from multiple insiders that ticket sales for Inoue’s fight at the T-Mobile Arena on May 4 are practically non-existent. It’s like the seating charts could use a eulogy! Needless to say, Team Inoue isn’t thrilled with the lack of momentum, and let’s not forget it’s Top Rank handling the promotion. Such is the state of things at Top Rank these days.”
Whether or not you believe Top Rank is having trouble selling out their events lately, it’s surprising that fans are choosing to steer clear of seeing one of the world’s most electrifying fighters live. It could be that financial constraints are putting people off, with ticket prices being perhaps a bit too steep for comfort. Or maybe fans aren’t particularly excited about the matchup with Cardenas, although he’s no pushover, boasting a record of 26-1 with a 14-fight winning streak.
There’s always the chance of a last-minute rush for tickets which would hopefully save the day. Otherwise, we could be witnessing a scenario where Inoue, who’s never fought in front of scanty numbers, finds himself boxing to an echoing arena. It would be quite disheartening if that’s what lies ahead next month. In Japan, Inoue is a colossal figure, but it seems his allure hasn’t quite captured American audiences yet, at least judging by the ticket sales.
It’s no surprise, then, why Inoue might be hesitant about leaving his homeland to fight elsewhere!
