Wednesday, 29 July 2026 · Philippines
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SPORTSCLOPEDIA 49:. MURODJON AKHMADALIEV VS. MARLON TAPALES WBA/IBF SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TALE OF THE TAPE

Murodjon Akhmadaliev

Birth Name Murodjon Kakharovich Akhmadaliev

Title WBA (Super) and IBF superbantamweight champion since 2020 to present

Official Weight 121.6 lbs

Total fights 11

Wins 11

Wins by KO 8

Losses 0

Rounds 69

KO Rate 72.73%

Debut April 21, 2018

Nickname MJ

Birth Date November 2, 1994

Age 28

Nationality Uzbekistan

Stance Southpaw

Height 5′ 5½″ (166cm)

Reach 68″ (173cm)

Residence Indio, California, USA

Birth place Chust, Uzbekistan

Last Ten Fights

Jun 25, 2022 Ronny Rios W-TKO 12

Nov 19, 2021 Jose Velasquez W-UD 12

Apr 3, 2021 Ryosuke Iwasa W-TKO 5

Jan 30, 2020 Daniel Roman W-SD 12

Sept 13, 2019 Wilner Soto W-TKO 4

Apr 26, 2019 Carlos Carlson W-KO 3

Nov 24, 2018 Isaac Zarate W-TKO 9

Aug 23, 2018 Ramon Contreras W-KO 1

Jul 14, 2018 Luis Fernando Molina W-UD 6

Apr 21, 2018 Carlos Gaston Suarez W-TKO 4

* * *

Marlon Tapales

Birth Name Marlon Tanan Tapales

Title Former WBO bantamweight champion from 2016 to 2017

Ratings No. 1 IBF, No. 9 WBA superbantamweight contender

Official Weight 121.8 lbs

Total fights 39

Wins 36

Wins by KO 19

Losses 3

Rounds 246

KO Rate 48.72%

Debut July 18, 2008

Nickname Nightmare

Birth Date March 23, 1992

Age 31

Nationality Philippines

Stance southpaw

Height 5′ 4″ (163cm)

Reach 67 1⁄2 in (171 cm)

Residence Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines

Birth place Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines

Last Ten Fights

May 14, 2022 Jose Estrella W-KO2

Dec 11, 2021 Hiroaki Teshigawara W-KO2

Nov 21, 2020 Eden Sonsona W-TKO2

Dec 12, 2019 Ryosuke Iwasa L-TKO11

Jun 1, 2019 Roberto Castaneda W-KO3

Feb 16, 2019 Fernando Vargas Parra W-RTD5

Sept 30, 2018 Goodluck Mrema W-KO1

Apr 23, 2017 Shohei Omori W-TKO11

Jul 27, 2016 Panya Uthok W-KO11

Dec 16, 2015 Shohei Omori W-TKO2

* * *

Marlon Tapales wants to become world champion again when he challenges incumbent unified champion Murodion Akhmadaliev for the unified WBA and IBF superbantamweight titles at Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, Texas. Tapales, the former WBO bantamweight champion, is considered by oddsmakers as the underdog against the undefeated Akhmadaliev.

* * *

But Tapales of Sanman Boxing is not threatened by the status believing they prepared so hard to beat the champion Uzbek Akhmadaliev, a bronze medalist in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, and is the first unified world champion of Uzbekistan.

* * *

In July 17, 2016, Tapales won the World Boxing Organization bantamweight world title over Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand by 11th round KO after flooring him twice in the fifth round in Ayutthaya City Park, Ayutthaya, Thailand.

* * *

He lost the title on the scales the following year after his failure to get the weight limit for a rematch against Omori, and was relegated to fight in tuneup bouts before losing to Ryosuke Iwasa by eleventh round TKO in December 7, 2019 for the vacant IBF super bantamweight title.

* * *

On December 11, 2021, Tapales fought Hiroaki Teshigawara, rated No. 3 by the IBF at super bantamweight. Tapales stopped Teshigawara in two rounds at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, USA.

* * *

Akhmadaliev has twice defended his unified titles since grabbing the belts from American Danny Roman by split decision on January 30, 2020 at the Meridian at Island Gardens, Miami, Florida, U.S.

* * *

He won a twelve-round unanimous decision win over Chile's Jose Velasquez last November 19 in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA. Velasquez replaced WBA mandatory challenger Ronny Rios who was tested positive for COVID-19 just a week before their scheduled fight.

* * *

On April 3, 2021, Akhmadaliev scored a fifth-round knockout victory over IBF mandatory challenger Ryosuke Iwasa of Japan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was his first fight in his native country since winning the gold medal there in the 2017 Asian Amateur Championships tournament.

* * *

On June 25, 2022, Akhmaladiev finally met American Ronny Rios and won by a twelfth-round technical knockout at Tech Port Arena, San Antonio, Texas, USA to retain the WBA (Super) and IBF super-bantamweight titles. He decked Rios with a flurry of punches in the last round, and although Rios was able to beat the count, he was knocked out with another barrage of punches.

* * *

Akhmadaliev, as an amateur, won a silver medal at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar and bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics as a bantamweight.

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