FORMER unified super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales faces Nattapong Jankaew for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia Continental super bantamweight belt on May 10, 2024, at the Midas Hotel and Casino in Manila.
Tapales is looking to bounce back after a 10th-round knockout loss to Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue last Dec. 26, 2023 in a unification bout for all four super bantamweight belts in Japan.
“I learned a lot from my last fight. I will work hard to become a world champion again,” said Tapales.
Tapales reached new heights in his career after becoming a unified world champion by dethroning Murodjon Akhmadaliev for the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight titles last year in the US.
The win earned him a big payday against Inoue, one of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound.
Despite his loss to Inoue, Tapales is still highly rated in the world. He’s ranked No. 3 by the WBC, No. 5 by the IBF and No. 7 by the WBA.
Jankaew, on the other hand, is a former WBA Asia bantamweight champion. He owns wins over former world title challengers Wicha Phulaikhao, Karoon Jarupianlerd, Wittawas Basapean and Khachonsak Pothong.
Jankaew lost three of his last five fights. He beat Woraphon Saecha and Methichai Phuangthong, and lost to Sathaporn Saart, Hiroto Yashiro and Adrian Lerasan.
Tapales is 37-4 with 19 knockouts, while Jankaew 12-3 with eight knockouts.
Also seeing action in the co-main feature is former interim WBC bantamweight king Reymart Gaballo.
Gaballo (27-1, 22 KOs), rated No. 1 in the bantamweight division by the WBC, is fighting Mexican Kenbun Torres (13-5, 9 KOs) in a 10-rounder. / EKA