SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Marlon Tapales admitted it was two-belt champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev who started the word war when they faced off for the first time during a press conference Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Riverwalk.
“(And) still (world champion),” Akhmadaliev said during the staredown with Tapales as supporters of the two rivals cheered their respective boxers when promoter Eddie Hearn posed with the two for the cameras.
But Tapales was quick to respond to the Uzbekistan puncher’s bullying tactics with a crackling punchline.
“Yes, I will steal your (two) belts,” Tapales said, using his left index finger to poke one of the two title belts that were hanging from Akhmadaliev’s shoulders.
Tapales is gunning for not just one, but two super-bantamweight straps in their Saturday night showdown at the Boeing Center at Tech Port.
At stake are the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association championships that Akhmadaliev will defend for the fourth time in the battle of southpaws.
The winner will get rewarded with a lucrative payday fighting against Naoya Inoue of Japan, who is strongly favored to beat Stephen Fulton in their World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization encounter in July in Tokyo.
“This is going to be an absolute war,” British promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom said, adding that next up for the survivor of this weekend war is a unification battle with either Inoue or Fulton.
Tapales feels it is going to be him who will get that golden opportunity.
“I know he (Akhmadaliev) is good but I am ready and I prepared long and hard for this one,” Tapales said.
Another face-to-face with Akhmadaliev will take place Friday morning when they show up for the official weigh-in.
