(L to R) Ernel Fontanilla, JC Manangquil, and Marlon Tapales. | Photo from Sanman Boxing
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super bantamweight champion Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales has left for Tokyo, Japan for his much-awaited unification bout against Japanese boxing superstar Naoya “Monster” Inoue on December 26, 2023.
In a photo posted on Sanman Boxing’s Facebook page, Tapales was seen at the airport with his manager JC Manangquil and his trainer Ernel Fontanilla as they wait for their flight to Japan on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
In earlier interviews, Tapales vowed to unify all the four major belts in the super bantamweight division, saying he has “no fear” in facing the unbeaten Inoue, the former unified bantamweight world champion.
Tapales (37W-3L, 19KOs) will try to snatch Inoue’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Council (WBC) world super bantamweight belts in one of the biggest boxing events of the year.
The 31-year-old Tapales of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, trained in the high-altitude mountains of Baguio City for months. He decided to train there for acclimatization and for his stamina.
He was supervised by Fontanilla.
Tapales said he is unfazed by the huge odds that await him as he faces Inoue.
His experience will be his main weapon in beating Inoue. He already proved this when he fought in hostile territory in Thailand in 2016.
Tapales shocked erstwhile WBO world bantamweight champion Pungluang Sorsingyu via an 11th round knockout in front of a partisan Thai boxing crowd.
He weathered two knockdowns early in the fight to win Sorsingyu’s WBO world bantamweight title.
This time, Tapales eyes to duplicate his shocking win in Tokyo on December 26.
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