All is set for Filipino puncher Marlon Tapales’ bold bid to become a two-belt world champion this weekend in San Antonio, Texas.
Tapales had just capped his Las Vegas training camp and will be attempting to snatch the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight straps this Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) at the Boeing Center at Tech Port.
The scheduled 12-rounder will be refereed by Puerto Rican Rafael Ramos while the three judges are Jose Robert Torres, also from Puerto Rico, Javier Alvarez of Texas and Sergio Caiz Jr. of California.
The Hyatt Regency in the Riverwalk will host the fighters and all involved in the show being put up by Matchroom, a United Kingdom-based outfit that also has an office in New York.
Though Tapales is the clear underdog, he is a live one, though.
A former world bantamweight champion, Tapales who turned 30 years old last 23 March, climbs the ring armed with a 36-3 card with 19 knockouts.
Akhmadaliev has only fought 11 times winning all, including eight knockouts, but is making the fourth defense of the WBA and IBF 122-lb titles.
The two southpaw fighters will have their medicals on Wednesday before doing a media day later in the day.
But on Thursday, they will be facing off during the press conference and again on Friday for the official weigh-in.
To support Tapales’ quest, JC Mananquil, his Filipino promoter, blew into town.
If victorious, he will join Melvin Jerusalem as the country’s only reigning world champions.
Providing pointers in Tapales’ corner is fast-rising strategist Ernel Fontanilla.
San Antonio holds a special place among Filipino fight fans as it was there where Manny Pacquiao’s popularity skyrocketed following his electrifying 11th-round stoppage of Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2003.
Twenty years later, Tapales bids to do a Pacquiao in the city made famous by the Alamo.
