SELFIE IN THE LAND OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS. World Boxing Organization (WBO) world bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales (left) takes a selfie with his team upon their arrival in Osaka, Japan yesterday. Tapales will defend his crown this Saturday against Japanese Shohei Omori.
/Marlon tapalaes fb page
Stronger, more accurate Tapales tapped to win by KO in first title defense
Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) World Bantamweight champion Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales and stablemate Neil John Tabanao arrived in Japan yesterday for their respective major bouts this Saturday.
Tapales (12-2-0, 12KOs) will defend his WBO world bantamweight strap for the first time against Shohei Omori (18-1-0,13KOs) in a much-anticipated rematch at the Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan.
Tabanao (13-3-0, 9KOs) on the other hand, takes on Japanese up-and-comer Teiru Atsumi (12-1-0, 6KOs) in a six-round fight in one of the undercard fights.
Tabanao and Tapales were accompanied by promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud and veteran trainer and Olympian Brix Flores.
According to Flores, who trains both boxers, they flew to Osaka early to acclimatize.
“I am confident both boxers will prevail in their fights especially Marlon because he already knocked out Omori in their first fight and his training is very impressive. I can say that he already improved on his weaknesses,” Flores told CDN.
Flores added that Tapales’ punching power is much stronger now compared to July of last year when he knocked out erstwhile champion Pongluang Sor Singyu in the 11th round in Thailand to wrest the WBO world bantamweight title.
And Omori’s troubles doesn’t just end there as Flores added that his ward’s punches are more accurate than before and his defense has improved as well.
“He punches harder packed with more power while Tabanao, it’s his second time to fight here in Japan and I trust him to pull off an upset against his Japanese opponent. They both trained hard for this fight so there’s no room for excuses,” added Flores.
While Tapales looks to extend his reign as world champion, Tabanao is facing an equally tough task as he hopes to end his two-fight losing skid by fighting his first Japanese opponent.
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