MARLON Tapales vies for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific bantamweight crown against Mexican Edgar Martinez on Aug. 1 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.
The match is the main supporting bout of the world class boxing event headlined by a world title fight between WBO bantamweight champion Paulus Ambunda and 21-year-old unbeaten Japanese prospect Tomoki Kameda.
Tapales hopes to enter the WBO bantamweight rankings by wresting the vacant regional title and someday climb up the ladder and get a crack at the world crown.
However, it won?t be as easy as it looks because Martinez has shared the ring with some of the top prospects in Mexico. He has fought but lost to likes of Erik Morales? younger brother Ivan Morales, former world champion Sammy Gutierrez, 18-year-old Robert Manzanarez and unbeaten Horacio Garcia.
Following a third round technical knockout loss to Gutierrez, Martinez has won five straight fights but against questionable opposition that has a combined record of 4-28.
After a majority decision loss to David Sanchez in Mexico last February, the 21-year-old Tapales has won his latest fight, a fourth round technical knockout over Ruben Manakane.
Tapales has an impressive slate of 22-2 with nine knockouts, while Martinez is 15-7 with nine knockouts.
Two other young fighters, Gerpaul Valero (14-14-3, 10 KOs) and Ardie Boyose (6-0-1, 3 KOs), are also booked in the undercard against yet-to-be-named opponents.
