Tapales out to make history

MANILA, Philippines — Newly-crowned super WBA/IBF superbantamweight champion Marlon Tapales will make ring history if he annexes the WBC and WBO 122-pound belts to become the only Filipino undisputed king ever. His chance will come when he fights the winner of the July 25 duel between WBC/WBO titlist Stephen Fulton and Naoya (The Monster) Inoue. MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said Tapales will be at ringside to witness the Fulton-Inoue battle in Tokyo.

Not even Manny Pacquiao, the only fighter to win world titles in eight divisions, was an undisputed champion. The closest Pacquiao came to claiming multiple crowns was when he faced Floyd Mayweather with the WBA, WBO and WBC welterweight straps on the line. Pacquiao, however, lost to Mayweather on points in 2015. Tapales won the same IBF superbantamweight belt that Pacquiao took from Lehlo Ledwaba in his US debut in 2001 but overstepped the Pacman’s footsteps by annexing the super WBA version. And when he meets the Fulton-Inoue survivor, Tapales could emerge the super WBA/IBF/WBO/WBC unified champion.

Gibbons said Tapales’ performance against previously unbeaten Murodjon Akhmadaliev, known as MJ, in San Antonio, Texas, last weekend was masterful. “The difference was Marlon took MJ out of his game,” said Gibbons. “MJ couldn’t decide to box or engage because Marlon dictated with his right jab. He couldn’t figure out to attack or pull back. I also think Marlon’s defense is underrated. Marlon rolled, slipped and was hard to hit.” Gibbons said the split decision was a shock. “Thank God there were three judges and two got it right,” he said. Tapales was a 5-1 underdog and wasn’t expected to dethrone the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist. But he built an early lead and withstood a late rally to pull off the close verdict.

Tapales will return home on Monday to reunite with his wife and daughter. He got married last June in Lanao del Norte then left for the US three months later to start training for Murodjon. Tapales said he can’t wait to be with his family after a long separation that went through the Christmas holidays. Tapales said his next fight will be against the Fulton-Inoue winner with no more tuneup. He vowed to work even harder in his attempt to rewrite history.