| |
|
TAPALES DEFEATS AKHMADALIEV BY SPLIT DECISION, CAPTURES WBA-IBF BANTAM BELTS (PHOTOS)
By Dong Secuya PhilBoxing.com Sun, 09 Apr 2023

Marlon Tapales is back at the top of the world when he upset unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekestan to win the WBA-IBF super bantamweight belts by split decision at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) promoted by Matchroom Sports and broadcast live on DAZN.
Judges scorecards: Javier Alvarez had it 118-110 for Akhmadaliev while judges Sergio Caiz and Jose Roberto Torres had it 115 to 113 for Tapales. PhilBoxing also had it 115-113 for Tapales.

Showing sharp movement and stiff jabs, Tapales controlled the tempo in the first half of the fight as Akhmadaliev could not find his distance and was a bit confused on how to penetrate the Filipino. Tapales was beating Ahkmadaliev to the punch and connected with several eye-popping uppercuts. Marlon had the first half wrapped up winning five rounds to one.
Akhmadaliev came back strong in the second half of the fight to narrow the gap in the scorecards but Tapales held on to the finish line to secure the victory.
Tapales is now a two-division world champion previously winning the WBO bantamweight title in 2016. Tapales has also become the Philippines' second reigning world champion to date after Melvin Jerusalem won the WBO minimumweight title last January.
Tapales improved his record to 37-3-0 with 19KOs and gave Akhmadaliev his first defeat to drop to 11-1, 8KOs.

Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
76ers star Paul George has been suspended for 25 NBA games by doping By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles , Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles , Sun, 01 Feb 2026Trazo beats Jabagat in Talisay By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 01 Feb 2026Into fights Sanchez on Feb. 9 at Villa Kristen By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 01 Feb 2026Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson: Styles Make Fights Fitting Cliche By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 31 Jan 2026Bryan Flores Wins Majority Decision Over Starling Castillo in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland , Sat, 31 Jan 2026KinetixSports Legacy Run on March 1 By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 31 Jan 2026THE RING 6: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON , Sat, 31 Jan 2026Legendary Soccer Player Sergio Ramos to make professional boxing debut By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 31 Jan 2026Weigh-In Results: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou , Sat, 31 Jan 2026Teofimo vs Shakur Fight Analysis By Ralph Rimpell, , Sat, 31 Jan 2026Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez Welterweight Showdown Canceled , Sat, 31 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS MURTAZALIEV AND KELLY CLASH FOR WORLD TITLE , Fri, 30 Jan 2026Boxers Make Weight for Brico Santig’s Exciting 21-Bout Promotion in Thailand (PHOTOS) By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 30 Jan 2026“It’s time for TSABZ to shine” Get to know Tanaka Saburi as he retuns March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53 , Fri, 30 Jan 2026ATLANTIC CITY BOXING HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2026 , Fri, 30 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: WCM Nika Juris Nicolas is Ready to Fight By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 30 Jan 2026PFDA Grass Nationals in Tagum on June 5-7 By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 30 Jan 2026Press Conference Notes: Puerto Rican Star Xander Zayas Ready for Saturday's Hometown Unification Battle against Abass Baraou , Fri, 30 Jan 2026PFDA Grass Nationals in Tagum on June 5-7 By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 30 Jan 2026‘THE RING 6’ TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES , Fri, 30 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE PRESS CONFERENCE: WHAT WAS SAID AS JOSH KELLY AND BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV ARE KEPT APART AFTER HEATED FACE-OFF , Fri, 30 Jan 2026Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Flores vs. Castillo’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland , Fri, 30 Jan 2026WAPA Deportes Confirmed as Puerto Rican Broadcast Home for Saturday’s Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou Title Unification Showdown , Fri, 30 Jan 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|