Marlon Tapales (left) and Murodjon Akhmadaliev (right). | Facebook photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world champion Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales and the reigning IBF/WBA world super bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev will tangle in March for a world title.
This was announced by multiple major sports websites and one of Tapales’ promoters, Sanman Boxing in General Santos City on Wednesday evening, January 4, 2023.
Tapales and Akhmadaliev’s camps reached a deal to avoid the purse bid earlier this week.
The International Boxing Federation (IBF) ordered the latter to defend his title against the former who is his mandatory challenger last December.
Tapales and Akhmadaliev’s much-awaited world title duel was supposed to happen last year but was eventually shelved.
This was after, Akhmadaliev chose another mandatory challenger, Ronny Rios whom he beat via a 12th-round technical knockout last June in San Antonio, Texas.
While Akhmadaliev was busy defending his title last year, Tapales logged an impressive second-round knockout victory against Mexican Jose Estrella in Carson City, California.
Despite the announcement of Tapales and Akhmadaliev’s world title bout, the venue and official date are yet to be announced.
The 30-year-old Tapales of Tubod, Lanao del Norte sports a record of 36 wins with 19 knockouts and three defeats. He previously held the WBO world bantamweight title after knocking out Thai Pongluang Sor Singyu in 2016 in the latter’s hometown.
Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan is unbeaten in 11 bouts with eight knockouts. /rcg
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