MANILA, Philippines – World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales is oozing with confidence ahead of his looming unification bout with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue.
Tapales and Inoue are headed for a huge showdown to determine the division’s undisputed king in Tokyo, Japan, and the former vowed to add the latter to his list of victims.
The Filipino banger from Lanao del Norte is so upbeat on his chances against Inoue that he said he’ll be the Monster’s — Inoue’s alias — biggest nightmare.
“I will be the Japanese Monster’s biggest nightmare this coming December at his own hometown,” said the 31-year-old Tapales, noting that he is undefeated in four fights he had in Japan.
Tapales issued the statement after working the mitts for a few rounds with head trainer Ernel Fontanilla at his training base at the Knucklehead Boxing Gym in Las Vegas.
“So glad my everyday training always goes smoothly. My condition looks good, as well as my stamina, durability, punching power and quickness. So by December during the fight night, I will be better than ever. I will be ready to be Inoue’s worst nightmare,” Tapales added.
Known for being a road warrior during his early years, Tapales made a stellar first impression in Japan when he knocked out Indonesian Ruben Manakane in the fourth round of their bout in Kanazawa in May 2013.
He returned to Kanazawa in April 2014 and defeated Japanese Hayato Kimura via a fifth round technical decision in a non-title bantamweight bout. His biggest break then came when he faced Japanese Shohei Omori, whom Tapales knocked out in the second round in Kyoto in 2015.
Although he lost his World Boxing Organization bantamweight belt on the scales after failing to make weight, Tapales still scored an 11th round technical knockout win over Omori in their rematch in April 2017 in Osaka.
That was the last time he fought in Japan.
“Marlon is known for his never-give-up attitude despite the tall odds. He fights at any given situation. He adjusts and never fears. He will be coming for the Monster,” International matchmaker Sean Gibbons said.
“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.”
Gibbons, president of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, said contract signing between the two camps, should happen in a few weeks’ time.
Tapales (37-3, with 19 KOs) will return to Manila in November and resume the final phase of his training — most likely in Baguio City — before heading to Japan to take on the 30-year-old Inoue (25-0, with 22 KOs).