LAS VEGAS — For the second time in a year, undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue tasted the canvas with an early-round knockdown. And just like the first time, “The Monster” demonstrated his warrior spirit and bounced back to steamroll his opponent.

Massive underdog and brave counterpart Ramon Cardenas shocked Inoue with a second-round knockdown Sunday at the T-Mobile Arena, courtesy of a cracking counter left hook. It was the same punch Luis Nery landed when he dropped Inoue in the first round last May in Tokyo.

But Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) demonstrated his incredible recuperative powers to mount a rally, scoring a seventh-round knockdown of his own before stopping Cardenas (26-2, 14 KOs) on his feet for an eighth-round TKO win.

“I am very proud I fought Cardenas. He's much stronger and tougher than I thought he would be. It was a great experience for me,” Inoue said during his post-fight press conference.

Although Cardenas had a solid account of himself, Inoue was awarded every round by the judges except for the second in a fight of the year contender, outlanding Cardenas 176 to 80. The pound-for-pound great credited his comeback to the adjustments he was able to make.

“[I wanted to stay] calm and to win every other round by points,” said Inoue. “I wanted to use my jab and fight my style of boxing. At the same time, I wanted to knock him out.”

At 32, the four-division champion is still going strong despite the bumps along the way. The win against Cardenas was his 11th straight stoppage in his 25th consecutive world title fight.

Inoue is next expected to face Murodjon Akhmadaliev on September 14 in Tokyo.

But perhaps the brakes need to be pumped for his planned pitting against WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball in December as he goes for a title in a fifth weight class.

“As long as I can make [the 122-pound] weight [limit], I will stay in this division,” said Inoue.

What is likely, however, is Inoue accepting the challenge from fellow Japanese countryman and knockout artist Junto Nakatani, the WBC bantamweight champion and The Ring’s No. 8 rated P4P fighter.

“Maybe in May,” said Inoue.