Ramon Cardenas vs. Erik Robles | ProBox TV - December 18, 2025

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Ramon Cardenas vs Erik Robles headlines December 19th ProBox show in Fort Lauderdale

Super bantamweight slugger Ramon Cardenas will lead a suite of Friday night fights next month

him a December 19th ProBox main event opposite Erik Robles in Fort Lauderdaule, Florida.

That’s a Friday, before you ask.

Cardenas (26-2, 14 KO) stepped up to face Inoue on relatively short notice after Alan Picasso withdrew from negotiations in late February, flooring the champ in the second and engaging in a protracted firefight before a barrage from “The Monster” send the ref into action in the eighth. There were rumblings that he’d welcome Junto Nakatani to the super bantamweight division as part of Nakatani’s pursuit of Inoue, but Sebastian Hernandez Reyes wound up getting that assignment.

He’ll instead fight Robles (16-3, 10 KO), who got torched by Liam Davies two Marches ago and is coming off a decision loss to fellow Mexican youngster Jesus Eduardo Arechiga Valdez. Still, it’s a nice spotlight.

Also in store is an interesting super middleweight co-feature between 2020 Olympic gold medalist Hebert Conceicao (9-0, 5 KO) and former 2016 Olympic hopeful Paul Kroll (12-0-2, 8 KO). Conceicao, who notably boasts decision wins over both of the Falcao brothers, has already fought three times in 2025 after competing just once each in 2023 and 2024. Kroll, meanwhile, was a relatively hot commodity at a welterweight and super welterweight before drawing with Marquis Taylor and Guido Schramm, spending a year on the sidelines, and returning in March nearly 20 pounds heavier than before.

Rounding out the show are Mykquan Williams (22-1-2, 11 KO) vs Jair Valtierra (18-3, 9 KO) at 154 and Marques Valle (11-1, 8 KO) vs Joeshon James (9-1-2, 5 KO) at 160.

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Ramon Cardenas Returns After Naoya Inoue Firefight

Ramon Cardenas is ready for his return following a valiant losing effort against Naoya Inoue in May.

Cardenas will face Erik Robles on December 19 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to headline a ProBox TV event on YouTube, it was announced on Monday.

Cardenas (26-2, 14 KOs) is one of the sport's feel-good stories of the year, quickly graduating from a cab driver to a world title contender.

Cardenas, a 30-year-old from San Antonio, Texas, came in as a massive underdog to challenge Inoue for the undisputed junior featherweight crown and crushed the Japanese pound-for-pound star with a left hook that floored him in the second round of their fight.

Cardenas showed a solid account of himself in a firefight and even won another round or two before getting stopped in the eighth round of their Cinco De Mayo weekend showdown at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Over the summer, Cardenas aimed to leverage his newfound position in the division to welcome Junto Nakatani for the three-weight champion’s first fight at 122 pounds in December, but the fight never came to be.

Robles (16-3, 10 KOs), a 25-year-old who's primarily fought in the Tijuana, Mexico boxing circuit, has one win and two losses over his last three outings.

Liam Davies stopped Robles in two rounds in March 2024 and also lost his most recent outing, a 10-round unanimous decision against Jesus Eduardo Arechiga Valdez in March.

Other fights on the Cardenas-Robles undercard will include:

Brazilian 2020 Olympics gold medalist Hebert Conceição (9-0, 5 KOs) vs. Paul Kroll (12-0-2, 8 KOs) in a super middleweight fight.
Mykquan Williams (22-1-2, 11 KOs) vs. Jair Valtierra (18-3, 9 KOs) in a junior welterweight clash.
Marques Valle (11-1, 8 KOs) vs. Joeshon James (9-1-2, 5 KOs) in a middleweight matchup.

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Ramon Cardenas and Junto Nakatani sharpen tools together ahead of coming fights

Ramon Cardenas enjoyed the next best thing to a showdown with a once-targeted opponent.

The former title challenger put in work with Junto Nakatani, joining the three-division champ at coach Rudy Hernandez’s famed L.A. Boxing Gym in Los Angeles, California. Both boxers were engaged as they prepare for separate fights in December.

San Antonio’s Cardenas, 26-2 (14 KOs), returns to the ring versus Mexico’s Erik Robles, 16-3 (10 KOs), atop a ProBox TV card from War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on December 19.

Eight days later Japan’s Nakatani, 31-0 (24 KOs) and a former titlist at 112lbs and 115lbs and unified bantamweight champion, is set to face Mexico’s Sebastian Hernandez, 20-0 (18 KOs). Their clash in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 27 will mark the 122lbs debut for Nakatani. A win by the 27-year-old southpaw from Sagamihara is expected to lead to a super fight with his countryman, the undisputed junior-featherweight champion Naoya Inoue, 31-0 (27 KOs) and who tops the bill against David Picasso.

Wednesday’s gym session made perfect sense in that context. Cardenas is coming off a valiant effort in an eighth-round stoppage defeat by Inoue in May in Las Vegas, Nevada.

That fight was pegged by most experts as a showcase opportunity for Inoue, who made his first US appearance in nearly four years. Cardenas nearly ruined the party when he floored the four-division champion in the second round of their ESPN headliner. Inoue recovered and powered through a scrappy Cardenas to score a knockdown late in the seventh before stopping him early in the eighth of their instant classic.

“December 19, chapter two,” Cardenas commented of his upcoming ring return versus Robles.

The 30-year-old Texan’s name was attached to rumors as the opponent of choice for Nakatani’s first fight as a junior featherweight. It never evolved beyond whispers; the unbeaten Hernandez was instead selected to face the fast-rising pound-for-pound entrant.

Nakatani will fight in the Middle East for the first time, in addition to making his debut at his new weight. He fights primarily in Japan but has two wins in the US and regularly trains out of Hernandez’s gym in the Little Tokyo section of downtown LA.

Cardenas has fought in or around the 122lbs division for most of his career. There was a brief period in which he flirted with campaigning at bantamweight but returned one division north, and in a big way, when he knocked out the unbeaten Rafael Pedroza in the second round of their ShoBox headliner in September 2023. That bout turned out to be the series finale for the long-running program.

Cardenas immediately resurfaced on the ProBox circuit, where he will fight for the fourth time in his past five ring appearances. The lone exception was the challenge of Inoue.

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Ramon Cardenas now training with Manny Robles, and sparring Junto Nakatani

Ramon Cardenas is being trained by Manny Robles for his upcoming fight, and Junto Nakatani has played a massive role in this training camp.

Cardenas will face Erik Robles in a 10-round junior featherweight bout on December 18 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The bout will stream live on ProBox TV.

Cardenas, 26-2 (14 KOs), will be making his return to the ring after losing by eighth round stoppage against undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue in May. The 30-year-old Cardenas knocked down Inoue in the fight, which helped lift the contender from San Antonio from an unknown prospect to a notable name in the sport with one fight.

“It is funny we are fighting a southpaw,” Robles told Boxing Scene. “Rudy Hernandez is a very great friend of mine, and he trains Junto Nakatani, one of the best fighters, pound-for-pound in the world. We have been sparring with Junto.”

Robles, who has trained many titleholders, has a big roster of fighters, including Oscar Valdez, Andy Ruiz Jnr, Armando Resendiz, and current WBO women’s junior bantamweight titleholder Mizuki Hiruta. Cardenas, who trained with Joel Diaz for his bout with Inoue, will now make his long-awaited return after making a name for himself earlier this year. Robles gave his assessment of Cardenas.

“My perception of Cardenas is that he still has a lot to learn, and he is learning,” Robles said. “He is sparring one of the best fighters in the world. How can you not learn from that?”

Cardenas will not just have Robles in his corner, but his opponent is also named Robles, 16-3 (10 KOs). Robles, a 25-year-old from Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, has lost two of his last three bouts. Robles also holds an upset victory over at-the-time-unbeaten Lee McGregor. Robles is optimistic about what Cardenas will display on fight night, crediting Nakatani for helping him prepare.

“We have Junto as a sparring partner,” Robles said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

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Ramon Cardenas and Erik Robles headline ProBox TV card in Fort Lauderdale

Ramon Cardenas and Erik Robles are set to clash on December 18 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The bout will be promoted by BS and ProxBox TV owner Garry Jonas, alongside Sampson Lewkowicz, with Cardenas competing for the first time since his impressive showing in defeat to pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue. Cardenas, 26-2 (14 KOs), was given next to no hope by anyone heading into the contest, but had the undisputed junior bantamweight champion down and on shaky legs in the second. Despite Cardenas’ early efforts, Inoue eventually proved too much, stopping Cardenas in Round 8. However, Cardenas walked out of the ring with his head held high, and his profile elevated from his showing.

The man in the opposing corner in Cardenas’ return will be the 16-3 (10 KOs) Robles. The hard hitting Mexican is no easy man to step in with after a stoppage defeat and seven months out the ring, but Jonas says there are no exceptions for those fighting on his platform.

“It’s an ideal comeback fight for Ramon,” said Jonas. “We don’t give tune-up fights, so it’s no walk in the park either. Ramon is a super entertaining fighter and a test like this will keep him ready. It will be a typical ProBoxTV high-action fight while it lasts.”

Ahead of the bout with Robles, Cardenas has made the decision to link up with experienced trainer Manny Robles in Los Angeles.

“Training is going great,” said Cardenas. “I’m training with Manny Robles in LA and he’s a great match for me. We are fixing mistakes I’ve been making in the past, patching them up. I don’t really like watching tape of my opponents, so I don’t know much, but he has to adjust to me like I have to adjust to him. I’ve always said you can fight the same guy 100 times and every time will be different anyway. People are expecting me to do good now, so I have a responsibility to show the fans that my fight with Inoue wasn’t a ‘one hit wonder.’”

Although Cardenas’ opponent Robles was impressed with his showing against Inoue, the Mexican believes he also is something to worry about.

“We know Cardenas is an elite fighter with excellent technique and tremendous power,” said Robles. “We all saw his performance against Inoue, and that's keeping us on high alert to continue preparing for what's coming on December 18. It's a fight where anything can happen. He's a dangerous fighter, and so am I. The difference between us is that I have nothing to lose.”

2016 Olympic Gold Medalist and former world title challenger Hebert Conceicao, 9-0 (5 KOs) will face Elias Espadas, 23-7-1 (16 KOs), on the undercard, with Jonas believing it could be a tough night for Conceicao.

“I think the world of Hebert [Conceicao],” said Jonas. “Check him out. And Espadas is no slouch. Earlier this year, Sadriddin Akhmedov was considered a hot, undefeated prospect and Espadas fought him to a draw, right in his home state. This fight will let us all take a good look at the gold medalist and see what he really has in the pros. Hebert is fun to watch and we have him on the fast track. If he wins this fight, he will have a big year ahead of him.”

Tickets to attend ProBoxTV’s The Contender Series in person at the War Memorial Auditorium start at $105 and are available from the ProBoxTV website or directly from Seat Geek. The fight will also be broadcast live and free on the ProBox TV YouTube Channel.

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Fight week!!

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Ramon Cardenas brutally finishes Erik Robles Ayala in return

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Ramon Cardenas scored a brutal knockout of Erik Robles Ayala on Thursday at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The pair were well-matched, and it looked like the game Robles was going to be a hard night’s work for Cardenas, who was competing for the first time since his loss to undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue in May. It didn’t turn out that way, however, and Cardenas walked his opponent on to a beautifully timed right hand, rendering him unconscious at 1 minute and 21 seconds of Round 5. The win also marked the first for Cardenas under his new trainer, Manny Robles.

Both fighters were feeling each other out early in the contest, with Cardenas, now 27-2 (15 KOs), choosing to stay out of range as Robles fired a wild hook from afar. Cardenas, 30, started to step things up in the second, pushing Robles back and firing a right hand that knocked him into the ropes. Robles, 25, came out swinging in the third and planted a left hand on top of Cardenas’ skull. Robles was having the better of it, pushing Cardenas around the ring, but he got greedy. Cardenas waited for Robles to come in with a wild shot, but this time he timed him beautifully, sending Robles to the canvas with a peach of a left hook. Robles was hurt badly but returned to his feet and was hurt again by the round’s close.

The success of the third seemed to spark something in Cardenas, and he came out for the fourth with a real spring in his step. Cardenas thumped his jab into Robles’ face and then planted a right hand downstairs that brought a wince from his foe. Robles fought back hard in the fifth, but it was his undoing. Robles was having a good round, but again he got greedy, lunging in wildly to land a left hand. Cardenas timed Robles with a superb overhand right, turning the lights out on his opponent before he hit the floor. Robles awoke and attempted to get up, but his body betrayed him, and the referee waved it off. Robles fell to 16-4 (10 KOs) with the defeat.

In the ProBox TV co-feature, Olympic gold medalist Hebert Conceicao Sousa picked up a dominant win over the extremely tough Elias Espadas.

Conceicao, a middleweight from Brazil and now 10-0 (5 KOs), dominated throughout the contest, battering his opponent with both hands. Somehow Espadas, now 23-8-1 (16 KOs), just wouldn’t budge, no matter what Conceicao threw at him while chasing a stoppage.

An injury to Conceicao’s hand in Round 9 meant that there would be no late stoppage, and Espadas even pushed forward in an attempt to salvage something from the one-handed Conceicao.

The bout was scored 99-90 and 100-89 (twice) in favor of Conceicao after 10 entertaining rounds.

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Full Card was live here.. (forgot to post last night)

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A terrific card- a must watch !