TAPALES IS A MAN ON A MISSION
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 25 Nov 2015
CEBU ? WBO No. 2 ranked bantamweight Marlon Tapales of Tubod, Lanao del Norte is working doubly hard as he approach the final three weeks of his training in preparation for his eliminator fight versus No. 1 ranked Shohei Omori of Japan on Dec. 16 for the right to face WBO bantamweight world champion Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand.
?He is very serious with his training. He really wants to win this fight badly,? Tapales's Filipino boxing manager Rex 'Wakee' Salud told Philboxing as Tapales winds down his daily regimen Wednesday at Salud's gym in Punta Princesa.
With a world championship fight within reach, Tapales is highly motivated to face Omori at the Japanese's own backyard at the Shimazu Arena in Kyoto. ?Kaya natin 'to,? a highly confident Tapales said.
Although not looking past his Japanese opponent, Tapales's eyes glistened when he heard the name of the champion Pungluang Sor Singyu. ?I want that fight,? Tapales said. ?It will be a real rumble because I know Pungluang will never back out.?
Omori, a southpaw, is by no means a walk in the park for Tapales. The Japanese is undefeated in 15 fights with 10 knockouts, 7 of the stoppages he inflicted on his last 8 opponents. Additionally Omori stands at 5'8?, 4 inches taller than the Filipino.
But the height advantage of the Japanese does not concern Tapales. ?He's been sparring regularly with [WBC and Ring bantamweight champion Shinsuke] Yamanaka who is about the same height as Omori,? Salud said. ?And Tapales looks good in his sparring against Yamanaka,? Salud added.
Tapales (27-2-0, 10KO) last lost to Mexican David Sanchez by majority decision at Sanchez's hometown in Hermosillo on Feb. 23, 2013 for the interim WBC Silver super flyweight title but after that Tapales racked up six straight wins the last one was a two-round stoppage of Jecker Buhawi in Davao City on Jan. 31, 2015.
Tapales, who is currently being trained by former boxer Fernando Ocon, has already logged more than 60 rounds of sparring against his three southpaw sparring partners that includes lightweight Anthony Sabalde (10-4-0, 5KO) and featherweight Jason Redondo (11-3-1, 7KO). Tapales expects to log 40 more rounds of sparring before his team leaves for Japan on Dec. 13.
Photo: Filipino contender Marlon Tapales (R) poses with his manager Rex 'Wakee' Salud at Salud's Gym in Punta Princesa, Cebu City Wednesday.
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