YOKOHAMA, Japan - World champion Marlon Tapales celebrated the holiday away from his family to prepare for his undisputed championship showdown with Naoya Inoue.
The title fight with Inoue ran smack on the holidays as it will be held a day after Christmas at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
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That means the Filipino had to make do without noche buena delicacies to be in the best of shape for the 12-round title fight.
Tapales said as a boxer and athlete, he's already used to undergoing such sacrifices.
"Actually hindi naman first time ito para sa akin. Pasko, New Year, birthday or anumang importante na araw," he said
"Boxer ako at bahagi ito ng buhay ko," Tapales added.
The WBA and IBF champion spent Christmas Eve sleeping in his suite at the Yokohama Bay Sheraton hotel as the weigh-in for the fight was set on Christmas day.
He was actually watching his diet as early as the last week of October when he began training camp in Las Vegas and later on, in Baguio.
"Sakripisyo talaga. Pero okay lang," said Tapales, who's set to receive the biggest payday of his career by facing the fighter considered the best in the world today, pound for pound.
Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Atty. Richard Clarin likened Tapales and the rest of his camp to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who sacrificesa lot being away from home for the sake of their families.
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