MANILA, Philippines — Posibleng itakda sa Nobyembre ang unification championship fight nina Filipino super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales at Japanese titlist Naoya Inoue.
Sina MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons at Hideyuki Ohashi, ang manager at promoter ni Inoue, ang magpapalantsa ng nasabing laban na inaasahang magiging Fight of the Year.
Pangarap ng tubong Tubod, Lanao del Norte na maging kauna-unahang undisputed Pinoy world champion.
“I want to fight Inoue. I want to prove to myself that I’m a champion,” wika ni Tapales, may 37-3-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 19 knockouts, na personal na pinanood ang eight-round KO win ni Inoue (25-0-0, 22 KOs) kay American Stephen Fulton (21-1-0, 8 KOs) noong Miyerkules sa Tokyo, Japan.
Suot ng 31-anyos na si Tapales ang kanyang mga World Boxing Association (WBA) at International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight crowns.
Napasakamay naman ng 30-anyos na si Inoue ang World Boxing Council (WBC) at World Boxing Organization (WBO) belts matapos talunin si Fulton.
Dalawang beses tinalo ni Inoue si dating four-division king Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire Jr. sa kanyang pagdomina sa bantamweight class bago umakyat sa super bantamweight division noong Enero.