Philippines, 14 Jun 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Top Rank Presents Undisputed Junior Featherweight Championship: Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales

PhilBoxing.com





Tuesday, December 26, 3 a.m. ET/ 12 a.m. PT
Early Start Time, Live and Exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+

(Dec. 20, 2023) — Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Inoue vs. Tapales will be presented live on Tuesday, December 26, at a special early morning start time, 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT, exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+. This historic event takes place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

In the main event, WBC/WBO world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue and WBA/IBF king Marlon Tapales collide in a showdown for the undisputed junior featherweight championship. Inoue is attempting to become only the second man — following Terence Crawford — to become a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era.

Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) is a staggering 20-0 with 18 knockouts in world title fights, a run that began in 2014 with his knockout victory over Adrian Hernandez for the WBC light flyweight world title. He went on to win the WBO junior bantamweight world championship before capturing the undisputed bantamweight world title last December. Inoue made his junior featherweight debut in July, dominating two-belt champion Stephen Fulton en route to an eighth-round TKO.

Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs), a Filipino southpaw, is a 15-year pro who won the WBO bantamweight world title in 2016 before moving up four pounds to junior featherweight. He is 4-0 since a TKO loss to Ryosuke Iwasa in December 2019. Tapales returns following his biggest win to date, April’s upset split decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev for the WBA and IBF world titles.

In other streaming action on ESPN+:

Seiya Tsutsumi (9-0-2, 7 KOs) vs. Kazuki Anaguchi (6-0, 2 KOs), 10 Rounds, Japanese Bantamweight Title

Andy Hiraoka (22-0, 17 KOs) vs. Sebastian Diaz Maldonado (18-6-1, 13 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Welterweight

Yoshiki Takei (8-0, 8 KOs) vs. Mario Diaz Maldonado (21-6, 9 KOs), 8 Rounds, Junior Featherweight




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • 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
  • Eight-year-old Marius Constante sweeps 5-round chess fest in Cebu
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and Top Lightweight Contender Edwin De Los Santos Part Ways Amicably
    , Sat, 14 Jun 2025
  • Unification WBA & IBA Pro title fight Albert Batyrgaziev vs James Dickens to crown boxing show in Istanbul on 2 July
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • How the Ring's P4P Ranking Has Strayed from the Norms of Nat and Nigel
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FROM HITCHINS VS. KAMBOSOS JR
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS UNVEILS REMAINING PRELIMINARY CARD BOUTS FOR JAKE PAUL VS. JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR.
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Jean Henri Lhuillier: Leading Philippine Softball’s Unstoppable Rise to International Dominance
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Team USA Sends Seven Boxers to the Medal Rounds Thursday at World Boxing Challenge Grand Prix Usti Nad Labem 2025
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Jerusalem, Taduran 1-2 at Minimumweight; Llover Enters Bantam in Ring's Latest Ratings
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • July 26: Rohan Polanco-Quinton Randall Welterweight Showdown Tops Xander Zayas-Jorge Garcia Undercard at The Theater at Madison Square Garden
    , Fri, 13 Jun 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Weekend at the International Boxing Hall Of Fame
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Nonito Donaire to fight again, faces Campos on June 14
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Cabalquinto Set to Face Australian Balla on Maniatis Card
    , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Rene Camacho, Jajaira Gonzalez Capture Wins on Day One of World Boxing Challenge Grand Prix Usti Nad Labem 2025
    , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • COLLISION COURSE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY! FLORES VS. CHAVEZ TO HEADLINE JULY 24 EDITION OF GOLDEN BOY FIGHT NIGHT
    , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Indiana Sets Pace Again in 116-107 Win over OKC; Takes 2-1 Series Lead at Home
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Cabalquinto to fight in Australia on June 13
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • Alleged doping of Argentine boxer Soto in Panama by the WBA and the Panama Commission is a blow to boxing
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 12 Jun 2025
  • 27 + 6 Health Marathon now ready for June 15
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 12 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.