Philippines, 24 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


TAKUMA INOUE BEATS FROILAN SALUDAR TO EARN TITLE SHOT AT WBO BANTAMWEIGHHT CHAMPION MARLON TAPALES


PhilBoxing.com




Japan?s Takuma Inoue came off the canvas in the opening round of a furious ten round battle in which he decked Filipino Froilan ?The Sniper? Saludar twice, in rounds eight and nine, to earn a crack at WBO bantamweight champion Marlon ?The Nightmare? Tapales at the famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on December 30.

Salud had received several offers for Tapales to defend his title in London against former IBF champion Paul ?Baby Faced Assassin? Butler who is 27 years old and has a record of 21-1 with 12 knockouts. However, Wakee hadn?t received any details on the purse offer and ancillary rights. There were also offers from Puerto Rico and even Vietnam but promoter/manager Rex ?Wakee? Salud chose to have the newly-crowned bantamweight champion make the first defense of his title in negotiations finalized with Japanese journalist/matchmaker Joe Koizumi who represented the camp of Takuma Inoue.

The 20 year old Inoue who fought as a bantamweight for the first time, earned a hard-fought unanimous ten round decision over Saludar with scores of 97-90 on the scorecards of two judges, Kazuo Abe and Biney Martin and 96-91 on the scorecard of the third judge Kazutoshi Yoshida. The referee was Yuji Fukuchi.

Takuma is the younger brother of the more popular WBO super flyweight champion Naoya Inoue.

Takuma Inoue who is ranked No. 4 by the WBC has a record of 8-0 with 2 knockouts.

The southpaw Tapales is coming off a stunning KO victory over Thai champion Pungluang Sor Singyu in a fight in which the Filipino got off the canvas twice in round five to comeback and drop the Thai world champion in the very next round before eventually blasting Pungluang into submission in the 11th round.
WBO fight supervisor and Asia Pacific vice president Leon Panoncillo told The Standard ?it was one of the best fights I?ve ever seen in Thailand.?

Photo: Takuma Inoue (R) throws a left on Saludar during their 10-round bantamweight bout at the Sky Arena in Zama, Kanagawa, Japan Sunday.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Boxlab Promotions Fighters Shine with Statement Victories in Orlando
    , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • Red Owl Boxing Presents Box Fest XVII on Friday, April 3rd at The Archer Music Hall in Allentown, PA and LIVE on DAZN
    , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • Boxing world fans waiting Isis Sio prompty recovery; Team Isis Sio statement
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • National Master Nika Juris Nicolas rules National Youth & Schools Chess Championships
    , Tue, 24 Mar 2026
  • SD FIGHT NIGHT: FAMILY BUSINESS DOUBLE MAIN EVENTS SET AS JULIUS “JUJU” BALLO SQAURES OFF AGAINST ROMAN REYES AT FRONTWAVE ARENA ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2026
    , Mon, 23 Mar 2026
  • "I'M A MAN OF MY WORD": GEORGE LIDDARD COMPLETES MATCHROOM BRENTWOOD HALF MARATHON FOR CHARITY – HOURS AFTER DENNY WIN
    , Mon, 23 Mar 2026
  • Lester Martinez Wins WBC Interim World Super Middleweight Championship with Unanimous Decision over Immanuwel Aleem
    , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • IBF Pan Pacific champion Vince Paras set to face unbeaten OPBF champion Aoi Yokoyama in Kyrgyzstan
    , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • King James sets NBA all-time record for most games played
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • Loaded boxing schedule
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sun, 22 Mar 2026
  • WEIGHTS, IMAGES, RUNNING ORDER AND THE LAST WORDS AHEAD OF ADAMES VS. WILLIAMS IN ORLANDO
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • COPPER BOX ARENA FIGHT NIGHT: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS LIDDARD AND DENNY FACE-OFF FOR FINAL TIME
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Weights From ‘Martinez vs. Aleem’ Event from the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino and Broadcast live on ProBoxTV
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Jordan Orozco Training Camp Notes
    , Sat, 21 Mar 2026
  • Towns vs. Bordin for PAT Belt; De Barbo, Nancholas, Samiei in Supporting Bouts at Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Pattaya Beach, Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • YOENIS TELLEZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Lebron James ties the most game played in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Pichay supports GM Antonio's Australian chess circuit campaign
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • LIDDARD-DENNY PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES IN FULL: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AHEAD OF SATURDAY'S COPPER BOX FIGHT NIGHT
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: The WBC Continues the Fight for the Good of the Sport
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • AMMO: ADAMES FIGHT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Carlos De Leon Training Camp Notes
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • The Highly Anticipated  Box Fan Expo Invitational 2026 Returns with A  USA Boxing Amateur Show
    , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Placibe, Sales tops Sprint Challenge
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 20 Mar 2026
  • Lester Martinez vs. Immanuwel Aleem Los Angeles Media Day Quotes
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.