Naoya Inoue’s 2025 road map is locked in. If the unbeaten pound‑for‑pound star dispatches Ramon Cardenas on Sunday in Las Vegas, he will return home to Tokyo on 14 September to face former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev in a WBA title‑consolidation clash. Matchroom co‑promoter Eddie Hearn called the agreement “Uzbek Power vs The Monster - best fight in the division” after Nevada’s commission approved officials for Inoue‑Cardenas and contracts were exchanged for the autumn date.  
Inoue will be making another defence of his undisputed 122‑lb crown this weekend; Akhmadaliev has sat atop the WBA mandatory queue since knocking out Kevin Gonzalez in December 2023 and reinforced his claim with an interim‑title win over Ricardo Espinoza last December. Twice the WBA allowed Inoue voluntary bouts - a KO of TJ Doheny and January’s stoppage of Ye Joon Kim - but the governing body’s patience has expired. September’s bout will settle the matter and complete Inoue’s promised three‑fight campaign, with Ohashi Promotions already pencilling a December date in Saudi Arabia if their man emerges unscathed. 
Cardenas, 26‑1, can still wreck the plan at T‑Mobile Arena on Sunday night, but bookmakers list the Texan a 14‑1 underdog. Akhmadaliev, a 2016 Olympic bronze medallist who lost his belts to Marlon Tapales by split decision in 2023, will attend ringside, knowing victory would restore him as a unified champion and derail the Monster’s march toward featherweight.
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