THE MP Promotions is ready to participate in the purse bid for the mandatory fight of Marlon Tapales against reigning IBF-WBA junior featherweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan.
Marlon Tapales world title shot
MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons confirmed the plan after foregoing the supposed negotiation period for the title fight.
The purse bid will be held on Jan. 18, according to the IBF.
“The IBF received a written certification from Sean Gibbons of MP Promotions on behalf of Marlon Tapales indicating that they were not willing to participate in negotiations, and requested an immediate purse bid pursuant to IBF rule,” said IBF President Daryl Peoples.
Minimum accepted bid is $25,000 for a title fight between a reigning champion against a top or no. 2 contender. The winning bid will be split at 65/35, with Akhmadaliev receiving 65 percent of the purse being the defending champion.
But Gibbons like the chances of the 29-year-old Tapales to dethrone Akhmadaliev following his second round stoppage of Hiroaki Teshigawara of Japan in their title eliminator fight in the undercard of the Nonito Donaire-Reymart Gaballo WBC bantamweight championship match last month in Carson, California.
Tapales, a southpaw who once reigned as WBO bantamweight champion, floored his Japanese opponent three times on the way to the impressive knockout win.
The native of Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte has a ring record of 35-3, with 18 KOs.
Obviously, Tapales is the more experience fighter than Akhmadaliev, 27, who has only fought in 10 fights although unbeaten in all of them, including seven by stoppages.
A bronze medalist in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, the Uzbek champion won his belt with a split decision against American Danny Roman in January of 2020.
He went on and defended the title twice, winning by fifth round TKO against Japanese Ryosuke Iwasa in April last year and by unanimous decision opposite Jose Velasquez just two months ago.
Akhmadaliev fights under Matchroom Promotions of Eddie Hearn.