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    Tapales draws confidence from perfect Japan record ahead of Inoue fight

    'Monster' task for Marlon Tapales
    Oct 14, 2023
    Marlon Tapales Inoue
    PHOTO: Jhay Otamias

    WORLD champion Marlon Tapales is looking to add Japan’s biggest boxing star among his victims in an undefeated stint in the Land of the Rising Sun.

    Tapales puts his WBA and IBF super-bantamweight titles on the line against top pound-for-pound fighter and WBC and WBO champion Naoya Inoue in an undisputed title bout set on Dec. 26 in Japan.

    Marlon Tapales Inoue

    Word coming out of the WBO convention in Dominican Republic has the undisputed championship being set a day after Christmas, according to MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons.

    While 'Monster' Inoue is certainly the heavy favorite to win before an expected huge Japanese crowd, the 31-year-old Tapales has something going for him in the biggest fight of his career to date.

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      The Filipino is so far undefeated in all of his fights in Japan, and hopes to add the undefeated Japanese sensation in his list of victims.

      “Marlon has been in Japan four times in his career. He is also 4 and 0, and he’s going to be 5 and 0 in Japan when he beats Inoue,” said Gibbons.

      “Marlon is known for his never-give-up attitude despite all odds. He fights at any given situation, he adjusts, and never fears. He will be coming for the ‘Monster.’”

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        Tapales and his team that includes trainer Ernel Fontanilla, have set up training camp at the Knucklehead boxing gym in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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        Owner of a 37-3 record with 19 KOs, Tapales’ previous fights in Japan include Indonesian Ruben Manakane (4th round TKO) in 2013, Hayato Kimura (5th round technical decision) in 2014, and Shohei Omori in 2015 via a second round knockout to deal the Japanese his first career loss.

        Tapales was stripped of his WBO bantamweight title in 2017 after failing to make weight in his first title defense opposite Omori. But he proceeded to demolish the Japanese by way of an 11th round TKO in Osaka.

        That was his last bout in Japan six years ago.

        Tapales is set to return to Manila by November for the final phase of his training camp, most likely to be held in Baguio before heading to Japan.

        Inoue beat American Stephen Fulton last July to become the WBC and WBO champion at 122 lbs. raising his record to 25-0, with 22 KOs.

        Meanwhile, Tapales scored a split decision against erstwhile champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan last April to wrest the WBA and IBF titles.

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        PHOTO: Jhay Otamias
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