GABRIEL Tapales earns his biggest break as he faces Aznaur Kalsynov for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) Asia featherweight title on Feb. 13, 2026, in Moscow, Russia.
It will be a couple of firsts for the 22-year-old Tapales, who is set to get his first crack at a regional title and his first time fighting overseas.
Tapales had a breakout year in 2025. He started the year with a majority decision win over Jelo Bacalso and followed it with a devastating second-round knockout of Ian Donaire. His last fight in 2025 was his biggest win to date, outclassing talented prospect BJ Wild by a convincing unanimous decision.
The upcoming clash against Kalsynov should provide a true test of whether Tapales is indeed ready for the next level. A win will most likely earn him a spot in the world rankings.
The 27-year-old Kalsynov had a slow start to his pro career. After winning his pro debut, he recorded three straight draws.
Kalsynov posted his biggest win in 2023, when he defeated Andranik Grigorian by majority decision. However, he suffered his first career loss shortly after, bowing down to Armen Ataev by majority decision as well. He took some time off in 2024 but returned to the ring last year and had back-to-back wins over Azizjon Arziev and Burgut Hodjiboyev.
Though he has only 10 pro bouts, Kalsynov has an extensive amateur background with 31 fights.
Tapales, the younger brother of former world champion Marlon Tapales, boasts a record of 9-1 with six knockouts, while Kalsynov is 6-1-3. / EKA