TAPALES SHARP AND EXPLOSIVE AHEAD OF HIS WORLD TITLE FIGHT AGAINST THAI CHAMP SOR SINGYU
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 15 Jul 2016
CEBU CITY ? Filipino world title hopeful Marlon Tapales looked sharp and explosive during Thursday's workout at the RWS Gym here as he tapers down in sparring ahead of his WBO world bantamweight championship showdown with defending champion Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand on July 27 at the historic city of Ayutthaya north of Bangkok.
?Kondisyon na gyud, (I'm in great condition),? Tapales told Philboxing as he went thru the grueling workout routine that included 4 rounds of sparring, punch mitts and heavy bags. Tapales has been training the past three months for his first attempt for a world title, a month more than what was originally planned when the date of his fight was moved from its original date of June 17.
Asked if the postponement has affected his conditioning, Tapales, whose body has been chiseled into a fine human specimen as a result of the daily workout, said, on the contrary, the postponement was to his advantage because he has improved his stamina even more.
And besides, according to his trainer Fernando Ocon, Tapales sustained an injury on his right hand a month ago which is now completely healed. ?Na-injure gamay iya tuo kamot sa sparring pero maayo na nalang na-postpone, karon okay na jud (He had a slight injury on his right hand during sparring so it was good the fight was postponed and now it is okay),? Ocon said.
Trainer Brix Flores, who also assisted in the Tapales training camp, said that they have now tapered down the number of sparring rounds for Tapales who have already logged more 150 rounds of sparring since the camp begun. ?He's at his peak right now so we're tapering down the number of rounds of his sparring. Also we wanted to avoid any undue injury,? Flores told Philboxing in the vernacular.
Flores was profuse in his admiration of Tapales's skill. ?He is one of our best boxers. His talent and skill is really world class,? Flores said.
Tapales's manager Rex 'Wakee' Salud showed excitement of the prospect of having another world champion in his stable. ?Marlon is more than ready,? Salud said. ?He is under appreciated but I think Marlon is the best fighter in the Philippines right now,? Salud added.
Meanwhile Team Tapales will leave for Bangkok on July 23. Aside from Salud and trainers Ocon and Flores, Tapales's mother Maria, former two-time world champion Gerry Pe?alosa and two companions, and pro-debuting boxer from Australia Dino Rafaeles will go to to cheer for the aspiring world titlist. Veteran boxing journalist Nick Giongo of the Manila Bulletin and this writer will also go to cover the event.
Photo: World title challenger Marlon Tapales (R) hits the mitts with trainer Fernando Ocon during Thursday's workout at the RWS Gym in Cebu City.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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