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Career Redemption or Penitensya for Tapales vs Double Champ Akhmadaliev? By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Sat, 08 Apr 2023  Former world champion Marlon Tapales takes on Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev Saturday night, April 8, 2023 (Sunday morning, April 9, 2023 Manila time) at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, USA bidding to wrest his unified WBA-IBF super bantamweight titles. Coming as it does on Holy Week, will it be another career redemption or a penetensya (painful sacrifice) for Tapales who had to surrender his WBO bantamweight crown at the weight scale some years ago? Tapales is hopeful that it would be the former though he will be climbing the ring only for the second time in nearly a year mainly on account of Akhmadaliev breaking his hand in his last title defense against Ronnie Rios that forced him to stay out of the ring himself for nine months. The 31-year-old Filipino earned the right as mandatory challenger against Akhmadaliev with a second round knockout of then top rated contender Hiroaki Teshigawara of Japan in 2021 yet. To keep himself active in the meantime, Tapales fought Jose Estrella and also won by second round knockout raising his record to 36 wins, 19 by knockout against three defeats, two by KO/TKO. The 28-year-old Akhmadaliev in defeating Rios on the other hand, has an immaculate record of 11 wins against no losses or draws, 9 of his victories coming by way of knockout. Since winning the unified WBA-IBF super bantamweight title by split decision over American Danny Roman in 2017, the Uzbek has turned back four challengers that included ex-titlist Ryosuke Iwasa and Rios with all but one of his defenses thus far ending by stoppage. On paper, it would appear that Tapales whose last defeat was by TKO to Iwasa in 2018, has vast advantage in pro ring experience over MJ. But Akhmadaliev was an amateur standout before he turned pro and he said that he has gained a lot of experience in the pros since his victory over Roman which was proceeded by four title defenses that all were set for 12 rounds. Like some of the new breed of pro fighters lately, Murodjon is also a volume punching pressure fighter the like of Tapales has not faced before. Likewise, Akhmadaliev has fought as a super bantamweight since he turned pro and a big one at that assuring himself a size and possibly strength advantage especially in this era where fighters are allowed to rehydrate by as much as 10 percent more than their weigh in weight. Let us hope and pray that Marlon could translate his actual pro advantage to better use and show resilience to neutralise Akhmadaliev to give him the chance to prevail in this his most crucial fight. As aperitif, undefeated WBC super flyweight titlist Jesse Bam Rodriguez (17-0) who vacated said crowning order to win a world title at the lower flyweight division will have his chance as he takes on Christian Gonzalez Hernandez (15-1-0) for the vacant WBO belt left by Japan's Junto Nakatani. Rodriguez has earlier made waves at the loaded super flyweight division by winning the vacant WBC title by dominant win over ex titlist Carlos Cuadras and defending against another ex champion Srisaket Sor Rungvusai (TKO) and Israel Gonzalez (UD). Happy Easter to all! The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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