Marlon Tapales takes on undefeated champ Murodjon Akhmadaliev on Easter Sunday
Marlon Tapales looks to stage a huge upset as he challenges reigning champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev for the unified WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles on Easter Sunday, April 9, at Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, Texas.
*Photo from Sanman Boxing's Facebook page*
The 31-year-old former WBO bantamweight champion, who holds a record of 36 wins—highlighted by 19 knockouts—and three losses, will be taking on the biggest challenge of his professional boxing career against the undefeated Uzbek fighter who parades 11 victories on eight KOs. Tapales is back on track after almost a year of professional inactivity, carrying with him a string of three wins including a stoppage over Hiroaki Teshigawara in May 2022. Akhmadaliev, meanwhile, is focused on putting Tapales out of his way but he expects a difficult fight from the Filipino. He had a smooth transition to the pros from previously winning silver at the 2015 World Championships and bronze at the 2016 Olympics. The winner of the upcoming bout is likely to face either Stephen Fulton or Naoya Inoue who will be fighting for the WBC and WBO title in July.
*Photo from Sanman Boxing's Facebook page*
The 31-year-old former WBO bantamweight champion, who holds a record of 36 wins—highlighted by 19 knockouts—and three losses, will be taking on the biggest challenge of his professional boxing career against the undefeated Uzbek fighter who parades 11 victories on eight KOs. Tapales is back on track after almost a year of professional inactivity, carrying with him a string of three wins including a stoppage over Hiroaki Teshigawara in May 2022. Akhmadaliev, meanwhile, is focused on putting Tapales out of his way but he expects a difficult fight from the Filipino. He had a smooth transition to the pros from previously winning silver at the 2015 World Championships and bronze at the 2016 Olympics. The winner of the upcoming bout is likely to face either Stephen Fulton or Naoya Inoue who will be fighting for the WBC and WBO title in July.