Philippines, 26 Mar 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


TAPALES TARGETS UNIFICATION BOUT WITH WBC CHAMP YAMANAKA


PhilBoxing.com




CEBU CITY ? On the eve of his departure for Osaka, Japan to defend his WBO world bantamweight title against local boy Shohei Omori on April 23 at the Edion Arena in Osaka, Marlon Tapales revealed that the fight he wants most in the immediate future is a unification bout with WBC world bantamweight titleholder Shinsuke Yamanaka, the undefeated Japanese fighter who captured his belt in 2011 and successfully defended it twelve times since. Yamanaka has defeated an array of name fighters including Vic Darchinyan, Tomas Rojas, Liborio Solis and Anselmo Moreno twice. Yamanaka put a stop on former Filipino world champion Malcolm Tunacao's comeback bid when he knocked out the Cebu native in the final round on April 8, 2013 in Yamanaka's third defense of his title.

?Yes, that's the fight that I really wanted, a unification bout with Yamanaka because I want to fight with the best out there,? Tapales told Philboxing after doing a light workout Saturday at the Wakee Salud Gym.

Tapales, 25, who has shown a marked improvement in power during his last several fights, feels he is still peaking as a boxer and looks forward to being a world champion for a long time. And what better statement to make for the budding champion than by beating the unbeaten Yamanaka?


WBC world bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka.

But first things first ? Tapales, who weighed 127 lbs Saturday 9 lbs over the bantamweight limit, has to get past his opponent on April 23 and him and his team have declared that all bases had been covered.

?I can't afford to be over-confident against Omori (18-1-0, 13KOs) because I know he is determined to exact revenge against his only loss,? Tapales, who stopped Omori in the 2nd round on Dec. 16, 2016 for the right to face then world champion Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand, said. Since then, Omori had racked up three victories, all by knockout, the last one was against two-time world title challenger Rocky Fuentes of the Philippines.

Tapales (29-2-0, 12KOs) who had trained for more than 2 months for this fight and had logged more 100 rounds of sparring, said he is prepared to whatever Omori brings at the top of the ring.


Tapales (L) catches Omori with a right during their first fight on Dec. 16, 2015 in Kyoto, Japan.

?Last time we met, he was aggressive from the start but when he felt my power, he ran. This time whether he's aggressive or box around, I'm determined to put the pressure on him,? Tapales said who added that ?I'm aiming for a knockout but let's see what he does when the fight starts.?

Tapales's humble trainer Fernando Ocon, who engineered Tapales's first win over Omori, said, ?I think we have a good chance of beating Omori again this time.?

Tapales will leave Cebu for Osaka Monday morning, April 17, accompanied by a large contingent headed by his manager Rex 'Wakee' Salud and wife Elvira and their son Ryan, Tapales's mother Maria, trainers Fernando Ocon and Brix Flores, boxer John Neil Tabanao who will see action on the undercard against Teiru Atsumi, former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa, Dodie Boy Penalosa's wife Ann, Thai boxing aficionado Narong Hengtrakul, Dan Ismael Lim, Tito Abella, Roy Jumaoas Jr and this writer. Veteran boxing journalists Nick Giongco of The Manila Bulletin and Roy Luarca of The Inquirer will follow on Wednesday to also cover the fight.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • VAN BOENING FALLS FROM THE TOP SIX WHILE CHUA CLOSES IN | 2025 IFX PAYMENTS PREMIER LEAGUE POOL
    , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • GM Joey Antonio's Australian Chess Circuit campaign is in peril, facing visa problem
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • Pacman to stage ‘Thrilla’ celebration
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • May 10: Emanuel Navarrete-Charly Suarez Junior Lightweight Title Showdown & Raymond Muratalla-Zaur Abdullaev Interim Lightweight Title Fight
    , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • Mikaela Mayer-Sandy Ryan 2 Fight Week Events to Stream LIVE on Top Rank’s Social Media Channels
    , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • ROBERT GUERRERO III REMAINS UNDEFEATED WITH IMPRESSIVE 2ND ROUND TKO IN LAS VEGAS DEBUT
    , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • LENIER PERO PENS CO-PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM AND BOXLAB
    , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • Team Law Office of Peter Chin-Durias representing Misamis Occidental swept 1st CDO Chess Grandmaster Quest Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 26 Mar 2025
  • WBA, WBO AND RING MAGAZINE MINIMUMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION OSCAR “EL PUPILO” COLLAZO HOSTS MEDIA WORKOUT
    , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • SHOWTIME BOXING PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES CANCELLATION OF MICHAEL HUNTER VS. CHRISTOPHER LOVEJOY MAIN EVENT
    , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • CAPITO BACK ON TOP AS SIX PLAYERS KNOCKED OUT ON JUDGEMENT DAY | 2025 IFX PAYMENTS PREMIER LEAGUE POOL
    , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • Christy Martin Promotions Signs Undefeated Super Bantamweight Prospect Sheldon Vallotton to Promotional Contract
    , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • The Past Week in Action 24 March 2025: Fundora Stops Booker in 4; Kambosos Outpoints Wyllie; Brown Edges Nicolson
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • Socrates Batoto: A Champion of the Orient, Inspired by the Great Flash Elorde
    , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • Llover Halts Kurihara in the Very First Round, Completes Conquest of OPBF Bantam Crown
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR JOURNALIST COLIN HART
    , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • Concio faces tough competition in Victoria Sports Club Rapid Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 25 Mar 2025
  • OKC Nips LA Clippers in Late Season Struggle; Keeps League Lead, Drops Clips to 8th
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 24 Mar 2025
  • CHUA TAKES CONTROL AT THE TOP | 2025 IFX PREMIER LEAGUE POOL
    , Mon, 24 Mar 2025
  • IIEE champ in billiard, PICE repeats in bowling and GEP draws 1700 runners in PTC WED
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 24 Mar 2025
  • Datamatics A are kings of Atty. Quirino Sagario Memorial Chess Team Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 23 Mar 2025
  • Star Frisco: Fighting with Heart, Never with Fear
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sun, 23 Mar 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION GEORGE FOREMAN
    , Sun, 23 Mar 2025
  • WORLD NINEBALL TOUR ANNOUNCES BLOCKBUSTER AUGUST SWING ACROSS AMERICA
    , Sun, 23 Mar 2025
  • Do the Oddsters Know Something We Don't?
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sat, 22 Mar 2025




  •  



     
    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
    © 2025 philboxing.com.