TAPALES BRACES FOR JAPAN SHOWDOWN
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 31 Oct 2015
CEBU CITY ? WBO number one ranked bantamweight contender Marlon Tapales (27-2,10KO?s) is headed for crucial eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger of WBO world champion, Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand.
The boxer from Lanao del Norte known as the ?Nightmare? will be facing fellow southpaw Shohei Omori (15-0,10KO?s) of Japan in a fight set at the Shimazu Arena in Kyoto on December 16.
The 22 year old Omori is the Japanese bantamweight champion and scored stoppage wins in his last four fights. The October rankings of the WBO has him at number two.
Familiar names on Omori?s resume are Filipino journeyman Albert Alcoy, Mexican Christian Esquivel and fellow Japanese Hirofumi Mukai; Esquivel lost to WBC champ Shinsuke Yamanaka and former WBC flyweight champ Malcolm Tu?acao while Mukai has beaten Sonny Boy Jaro and lost to Rocky Fuentes.
The 23 year old Tapales has won six straight since suffering his second career loss against David Sanchez of Mexico by majority decision two years ago.
?I was not well prepared for that fight,? Tapales told this writer Friday afternoon during his training session inside the RWS gym. ?I learned my lesson. I am training very hard now, started training early.?
?I have seen a film of my opponent,? Tapales said, ?I think I can beat him.?
Not minding the severe afternoon heat that has plagued Cebu for the past few weeks, Tapales continued his afternoon routine at the Rex ?Wakee? Salud gym in Punta Princesa. The sound of his gloves hitting the heavy bag echoed inside the gym. He later turned his attention to the double end bag and proceeded to footwork exercises and other conditioning drills.
Tapales? body of work includes the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title and the Philippine light flyweight belt. A look at his early resume shows that has beaten name fighters like Jerson Mancio (UD 10 2009), who would later become a Philippine champion, Randy Petalcorin (TKO2 2010) who is now the WBA interim light flyweight titlist, and Warlito Parennas (W TKO 7, 2010 for Phil.lt. flyweight title) who will fight for a world title this December against WBO superflyweight champ Naoya Inoue.
But Tapales knows that facing Sor Singyu, will be another matter. ?It will be hard to beat him in his home country,? Tapales stated, ?But I am not thinking about that right now. I am focusing on my Japanese opponent. This will be my first big hurdle.?
Tapales works out at the RWS Gym in Cebu Friday.
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