Philippines, 17 Jun 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


BONSUBRE: BAD WEEKEND FOR PHILIPPINE BOXING


PhilBoxing.com




It was heartbreaking to look at photos of a distraught and dehydrated Marlon Tapales being told by the WBO fight supervisor that he was already an ex-champion without even taking a single punch from his Japanese opponent, Shohei Omori.

I can only imagine what was going through his mind, knowing there was a contingent of Filipinos and foreign friends of boxing manager and promoter Wakee Salud who traveled with him to Osaka, Japan with big expectations.

Tapales has yet to cash in on his boxing career. He was looking forward to bigger paydays, bigger fights. This was supposed to be his first title defense. He was 1.93 lbs over the bantamweight limit on his second try.

This fiasco led to the fight between Arthur Villanueva and South African Zolani Tete in Leicester, United Kingdom being sanctioned by the WBO as an interim world title fight. This was supposed to be an eliminator for a shot at Tapales? title.

I don?t recall Villanueva ever facing a tall, shifty and skillful southpaw in his eight year pro career. So fighting Tete must have been like facing an alien.

It was only a flash knockdown when Villanueva was counted in round eleven. But it was devastating to a boxer who had to play catch-up all the way. All Tete needed to do was not get caught with a Hail Mary punch in the twelfth round. The scores ? 120-107, 119-108 twice ? showed Tete?s overall dominance.

Tete (25-3,20KO?s) is a former IBF world super flyweight champion. This was the second attempt at the world championship level for Villanueva (30-2,16KO?s), who fights out of the ALA gym of Cebu. Two years ago, he fought Puerto Rican McJoe Arroyo for the title vacated by Tete and lost a 10th round technical decision in Texas.

Tapales however did what most Filipino fight pundits expected. He knocked out Omori again, this time it took much longer.

Tapales 11th round TKO win over Omori meant that the WBO world bantamweight title is vacant but Tete could very well be elevated to regular champion.

Last December 2015, Tapales stopped Omori in two rounds. Tapales, who fights out of the RWS Gym of Cebu, is now 30-2,13KO?s while Omori drops to 18-2,13KO's.

Villanueva is 28 years old. He may get another world title shot. Same goes for Tapales, who is only 25. But the RWS gym trainers will have to ponder if Tapales can still fight at 118 lbs.

The much talked about all-Filipino world title showdown will remain a dream for the meantime.

It was on May 2, 1925 when Pancho Villa successfully defended his world flyweight crown against countryman Clever Sencio by fifteen round unanimous decision in Wallace Field, Manila.
In 1938, two boxers from La Carlota, Negros Occidental, Small Montana and Little Dado fought for California version of world flyweight title in Oakland, California. Dado won a points verdict after ten rounds.

Another world title fight between two Filipinos could still happen if former two-division champion John Riel Casimero of Ormoc City, Leyte - who has stated his intention to fight at 115lbs - will get to challenge the reigning IBF super flyweight champ Jerwin Ancajas of Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

Photo ? Marlon Tapales (left) and Arthur Villanueva during the 35th SMB-SAC Cebu Sports Awards last February.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 9 - MUHAMMAD ALI WINS WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • OKC Nears First NBA Title in Thunder Era; Outclasses Indiana, 120-109 in Game 5
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • Crawford Refutes #3 P4P Ranking; WBA Doesn't Forget Nonito Donaire
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • GM John Paul Gomez joins Touchmove in Roxas City
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • Perfect foe, perfect outcome
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • Prospects Collide Results: Rajon Chance Defeats Yan Carlos Perez
    , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • Undefeated Russian super middleweight Petr “The Surgeon” Khamukov to headline This Friday in Long Beach on DAZN
    , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • International Boxing & MMA Consultants Appointed to serve as El Salvador Professional Combat Sport Commission
    , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • Sasotize teams champion and 1st runner up in 2nd JCI Senate Chess Tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 17 Jun 2025
  • USA Boxing’s Elite High Performance Team Concluded World Boxing Championship 2025 With Nine Medals
    , Mon, 16 Jun 2025
  • "The Filipino Flash" Nonito Donaire Makes Stunning Comeback, Wins Interim WBA 118-lbs Title in Argentina!! (PHOTOS)
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • DAZN is Set to Make Exciting Debut in Thailand with Thrilling Dream Boxing/Highland Boxing Show
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • Hitchins Dominates, Stops Kambosos Jr. in Eighth Round to Retain IBF Super Lightweight Title
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • THAI SIMSRI READY FOR CHRISTIAN ARANETA IN IBF WORLD TITLE SHOWDOWN THURSDAY IN JAPAN; WILL THE CEBUANO “BOMB” STOP HIM?
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • Pinoy Power! Pacquiao, Donaire, and Araneta Ready to Shine in World Title Fights
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • “PROSPECTS COLLIDE” TAKES CENTER STAGE
    , Sun, 15 Jun 2025
  • Nonito Donaire Favorite to Beat Andrés Campos for WBA Interim World Title; Both Men Make Weight Ready in Argentina!
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Oklahoma Forces 2-2 Finals Series Tie, Starves Indiana for Point in 111-104 Win
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • PROSPECTS COLLIDE OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
    , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Hitchins vs. Kambosos: Can George Be More Than A Faded Name?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Four Boxers Advance to Gold Medal Matches on Day Three of World Boxing Challenge Grand Prix Usti Nad Labem
    , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM NEW YORK: HITCHINS - 140 LBS., KAMBOSOS - 139.4 LBS.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Gaviola to face Narukami in Gensan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Pacquiao Steps Up Training
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Balla stops Cabalquinto in 4th round
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Jun 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.