LAS VEGAS — Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue makes a much-anticipated return Stateside after four years flourishing on home soil in Japan, as he defends his 122-pound world titles against Ramon Cardenas at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena.

Rohan Polanco knocked down Fabian Maidana and delivered a boxing lesson to score a shutout unanimous decision victory.

The domination in the 10-round welterweight contest was scored 100-89 by the three judges. Polanco outlander Maidana 231-82 while throwing 131 more shots.

Polanco (16-0, 10 KOs), a 2020 Dominican Olympian, kept piling on the pressure and punches until Maidana finally broke down with less than a minute to go in the final round, getting knocked down with a body shot.

One year ago to the date in the same building, Maidana (24-4, 18 KOs) had a better performance against current WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in a unanimous decision defeat, winning several rounds despite getting dropped.

“El General” Emiliano Vargas keeps marching on as his breakout nears.

Fighting for the second time in five weeks, the second-generation star had another easy night by knocking out Juan Leon in two rounds.

A three-punch combination from Vargas (14-0, 12 KOs), a junior welterweight prospect, dropped Leon (11-3-1, 2 KOs) in the second. He got back up only to be knocked down again seconds later, this time by a clubbing right hand-left uppercut combo.

Leon struggled to get up and referee Robert Hoyle waved off the action at 1:40.

Hard-hitting Japanese featherweight Mikito Nakano marked his United States debut in sensational style, knocking down Pedro Marquez five times in four rounds before referee Harvey Dock mercifully stopped the action.

Knockout artist Nakano (13-0, 12 KOs) dropped Marquez twice in the second, each time with a straight left hand, and once more in the third, courtesy of a left uppercut. Two more knockdowns followed in the fourth – this time from body shots – before the resilient Marquez (16-2, 10 KOs) was saved from himself at the 1:58 mark.

Nakano outlanded Marquez 56 to 34.

After a pair of decision victories over the four- and six-round distances this time last year, teenage prospect Art Barrera Jr is now riding a three-fight stoppage streak.

Barrera (9-0, 7 KOs) stopped Juan Carlos Guerra Jr (6-2-1, 2 KOs) in the sixth round when referee Thomas Taylor waved off the action at 1:15 as the 19-year-old unleashed heavy leather. The beating had begun a round earlier, and the Robert Garcia-trained talent ensured the sixth and final frame would not reach the final bell.

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Ra'eese Aleem and Rudy Garcia kicked off the card at the T-Mobile Arena and the ESPN+ stream in a 10-round featherweight fight. Aleem scored a comfortable unanimous decision win via scores of 99-91, 98-92, and 97-93.

Aleem (22-1, 12 KOs) was a backup opponent in the event the fight between WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza and Edward Vazquez fell apart.

The victory was the second in a row for Aleem, who suffered the lone loss of his career to Sam Goodman via split decision in June 2023. Aleem came into the Goodman fight hot with wins against Mike Plania, Eduardo Baez and Vic Pasillas.

Garcia (13-2-1, 2 KOs) has suffered back-to-back losses.

Welterweight: Rohan Polanco UD10 (100-89 x 3) Fabian Maidana

Junior-welterweight: Emiliano Vargas TKO (1:40) Juan Leon

Featherweight: Mikito Nakano TKO4 (1:58) Pedro Marquez

Junior-middleweight: Art Barrera Jr TKO6 (1:15) Juan Carlos Guerra Jr

Featherweight: Ra'eese Aleem UD10 (99-91, 98-92, 97-93) Rudy Garcia