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Philippines, 26 May 2026 |
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Cold Comfort: Tapales and Vitor Frozen Out in Moscow Heartbreaker By Dong Secuya PhilBoxing.com Sat, 14 Feb 2026  Subkhankulov celebrates. The biting -10°C Russian winter proved to be a harsh omen for two visiting Filipino fighters on a cursed Friday the 13th. Inside the historic Soviet Wings Sports Palace, the warmth of the roaring Moscow crowd was reserved solely for the home favorites as Gabriel Tapales and Virgel Vitor both fell in high-stakes regional title bouts. For the visitors, the challenge wasn't just the elite opposition, but a climate and atmosphere worlds away from the tropical gyms of the Philippines. By the end of the night, two IBF Asia titles remained firmly on Russian soil. The evening began with a featherweight clash that promised fireworks and delivered a sudden, tactical explosion. Gabriel Tapales (9-2-0, 6 KOs) entered the ring looking to silence the local fans with his signature power, and for five rounds, he did exactly that. The bout was a high-speed chess match, with both men trading blistering combinations in the center of the ring. However, the momentum shifted violently in the 6th round. Just as Tapales seemed to be finding his rhythm, Aznaur Kalsynov (7-1-3, 1 KO) uncorked a wicked body shot to the liver. The effect was instantaneous. Tapales’ legs buckled, his face contorted in agony, and he was unable to beat the count. With that single, surgical strike, Kalsynov claimed the IBF Featherweight Asia Title, proving that his deceptive record belied a world-class finishing instinct. The main event saw Virgel Vitor (24-5-0, 17 KOs) attempt to derail the hype train of the undefeated Artur Subkhankulov. For nine rounds, it was a back-and-forth war of attrition that kept the Moscow crowd on its feet. Vitor, the more experienced veteran, used his ring craft to land stinging counters, while the IBF No. 11-rated Subkhankulov relied on a relentless, suffocating pace. As the fight entered the 10th and final round, Subkhankulov shifted into a terrifying final gear. Pushing Vitor back with a relentless barrage, Subkhankulov pinned the Filipino against the ropes. As Vitor’s defense began to fray under the sheer volume of unanswered power shots, the referee saw enough. To prevent further damage, the contest was waved off, awarding the Russian a TKO victory and the IBF Asia Lightweight Title. The victory keeps Subkhankulov’s perfect record intact (11-0, 5 KOs) and sets the stage for a massive leap in the global rankings. "The win should put Artur Subkhankulov higher in the IBF world rankings," said noted promoter Peter Maniatis. "He should be inside the top 10 now, and I know his team wants to challenge the big names of the division next. He proved tonight he can handle the pressure of a veteran like Vitor." While the "Magic City" fighters return to the Philippines to regroup, the night belonged to the "Russian Bear," who used the Friday the 13th card to scare the rest of the lightweight division. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.  |
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