MARLON TAPALES ABSORBS MAJORITY DECISION DEFEAT AGAINST TORNADO SANCHEZ IN MEXICO

In a back and forth and highly entertaining fight, the Philippines' Marlon Tapales lost by majority decision against David 'Tornado' Sanchez at the Gimnasio del Estado in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico late Saturday night (Sunday afternoon in Manila). The scores were 114-114, 116-112 and 115-113 in favor the hometown boxer. Sanchez won the vacant WBC silver belt with the win.

Sanchez took the opening round but Tapales came back strong in the next three rounds where he hit the Tornado with a well timed right counter to the jaw in the fourth round that staggered Sanchez to the ropes. Tapales however failed to finish the Mexican in that particular stanza which came out to be his only biggest window of opportunity to come up with a rousing victory.

Sanchez, who likes to come forward, had to be cautious, picking his spots, and piled up points on the counter-punching Filipino, stealing several of the succeeding close rounds. Tapales came alive in the 10th round and dominated the game Mexican who appeared to take a breather. The last two rounds saw the two boxers giving their all sending the raucous crowd on their feet. After the smoke cleared, it was the Mexican's hands that were raised in victory.

Tapales, who took the fight on a 2-weeks notice, absorbed the 2nd loss of his career and went down to 21-2-0 with 9 knockouts while Sanchez improved to 20-2-2 with 15 knockouts.