LOS ANGELES — “The Monster” Naoya Inoue graced Tinseltown at the Westside Boxing Club on Wednesday, not too far away from the movie studios that have glorified the likes of Godzilla and King Kong.

The 5-foot-5, 122-pound undisputed champion Inoue is not a colossal creature like his nickname suggests, but the Japanese four-division crown holder is certainly a cultural and boxing icon.

After flying in from Japan, The Ring’s No. 2-rated pound-for-pound fighter stepped off a tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport and headed straight to a media day in Mid City to promote his return to the United States and just his fourth fight in America when he takes on Ramon Cardenas on May 4.

Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) was in-and-out quickly, just like his fights, as he wrapped his hands, shadow boxed, and showed some selective power and pop on the pads and heavy bag. He separately fielded questions from the American and Japanese media, faced off and sized up the little-known Cardenas (26-1, 14 KOs), and then headed out the back door.

The entire experience lasted about 45 minutes; time is tight eleven days before a fight. The next stop is Las Vegas, where Inoue will headline a Top Rank on ESPN card at the T-Mobile Arena on the Cinco De Mayo weekend.

“This is a great turnout for the media and I am very pleased and happy. I know the expectations are there,” Inoue said through a Japanese translator. “I'm really looking forward to fighting on a legendary date for boxing. I'm pleased that I am the main event.”

After earning nearly $42 million last year, selling out the Tokyo Dome with over 55,000 fans for the Luis Nery fight, and striking a lucrative deal as a Riyadh Season ambassador, Inoue still has some monstrous plans for himself involving opponents, arenas, et al.

“It took me four years to come back [to the US]. I'd like to do it again sooner than later,” said Inoue. “It's very important for me [to conquer the US market and be a superstar here like I am in Japan] as I finish off my career. I want to do more fights in the United States.”

The 32-year-old Inoue said his wish list is topped by heading a card at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Despite knocking out his last 10 opponents, Inoue also understands he needs to reclaim his title as the best fighter in the world after running through outmatched competition in TJ Doheny and Ye Joon Kim in his previous two fights. Cardenas is not expected to give Inoue much resistance either, and the near -5000 betting favorite realizes that.

“I don't know if I will make it back to being the No. 1 pound for pound fighter in the world in this fight, but I've got fight dates in September, December and next year and hope to get Murodjon Akhmadaliev, Nick Ball, and Junto Nakatani to bring me up to No. 1,” said Inoue.

"Cardenas is a beautiful fighter. He's an all-around good fighter, but for me, it's easy. No matter how he comes out, I think I have the advantage … I have nothing more than pure confidence for this fight.”