ALTHOUGH Marlon Tapales isn?t quite back to his championship form following a long layoff, Fernando Ocon is already looking into the future.
Ocon, Tapales? coach, is eyeing a future title shot against World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight king Jessie Magdaleno.
?Magdaleno is the (WBO) champion at 122 now. He is our target,? Ocon told SunStar Cebu.
Ocon, however, feels that the 25-year-old Tapales needs a bit more time before he?ll be ready at the world championship level again.
?I think he needs two to three more fights,? he said.
Tapales last saw action on April 23 in a rematch with Japanese Shohei Omori at the EDION Arena in Osaka, Japan. It was supposed to be a WBO bantamweight title defense for Tapales but he didn?t make weight and relinquished his crown. Tapales still won the fight after knocking out Omori in 11 rounds.
Tapales returns to the ring on March 17 in a 10-round non-title fight against Indonesian journeyman Rivo Rengkung at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre in Bendigo, Australia.
It should be a good measuring stick as to what level Tapales is at right now. The 33-year-old Rengkung is 36-24-6 with 14 knockouts and has faced some elite names like Terdsak Jandaeng, Tabtimdaeng Na Rachawat and Sod Looknongyangtoy.
?Everything is going well. He now weighs 58 kg (127.9 pounds). Even though the fight is still far, he?s already cutting down in weight. That?s why he is very relaxed with his weight right now,? said Ocon. ?We are confident that we will score a knockout because we have been training hard. We are targeting a world title.? Tapales, 30-2 with 13 knockouts, is currently ranked No. 2 in the WBO super bantamweight division just behind Diego dela Hoya. So a world title shot isn?t that far away.
?For me, if ever they meet, it will be a very even fight because Magdaleno is also a very good boxer. Marlon also has a similar style that?s why I believe Marlon has a huge chance of winning.?
Magdaleno, who beat Filipino superstar Nonito Donaire Jr. for the WBO strap in 2016, is scheduled to face interim WBO super bantamweight titleholder Isaac Dogboe on April 14 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. (EKA)
