MASAM SPORTS 29: MARLON TAPALES WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE MURODJON AKHMADALIEV VS. RONNY RIOS WINNER
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 02 Feb 2022
Former World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales will have to wait for the delayed world title shot after the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the World Boxing Association (WBA) have agreed that Ronny Rios should be the first to challenge IBF and WBA super bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Tapales earned a mandatory position for the IBF title after stopping Japan's Hiroaki Teshigawara in a super bantamweight title eliminator last December 11, 2021. Tapales knocked out Teshigawara in the second round after decking him three times at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The IBF ordered Akhmadaliev to defend his belt against Tapales right after his victory. However, the WBA also ordered Akhmadaliev to defend his belt against WBA No. 1 ranked contender Rios.
Both organizations then arrived at a consensus that Rios should be given the priority for the title shot before Tapales.
The latest decision urged Sanman Promotions CEO JC Manangquil to keep Tapales busy before the lucrative match with the winner of the Akhmadaliev-Rios championship fight.
“We will give Marlon one fight, either a non-title or an interim IBF title fight. Maybe in May,” Manangquil was quoted by SunStar Cebu.
Even if Tapales will be fighting a tune-up bout or an interim title fight, a win is a must for him to earn the right to face the winner of the Akhmadaliev-Rios title fight.
Tapales, age 29 years from Tubod, Lanao del Norte, has been dreaming of getting back into the world championship. He won the WBO bantamweight title by 11th round KO of Thailand's Pungluang Sor Singyuin on July 17, 2016 in Ayutthaya, Thailand after flooring him twice. He has now a record of 35-3 with 18 knockouts.
Akhmadaliev has an unblemished 10-0 slate with seven knockouts and has twice defended his unified titles since securing the belts from American Danny Roman by split decision on January 30, 2020 at the Meridian at Island Gardens, Miami, Florida, U.S.
His latest fight was a twelve-round unanimous decision win over Chile's Jose Velasquez last November 19 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Velasquez replaced WBA mandatory challenger Ronny Rios who was tested positive for COVID-19 just a week before the scheduled fight.
On April 3, Akhmadaliev scored a fifth-round knockout victory over IBF mandatory challenger Ryosuke Iwasa of Japan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The 27-year-old Akhmadaliev is a southpaw fighter from Namangan, Uzbekistan and now trains in Indio, California under the watchful eyes of Joel Diaz.
As an amateur, he won a silver medal at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar and bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a bantamweight.
Rios, age 32 years, from Santa Ana, California, U.S. challenged then World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight champion Rey Vargas but lost via unanimous decision in August 26, 2017 at the StubHub Center, Carson, California. Rios has a record of 33-3 with 16 knockouts.
He stopped Mexico's Diego De La Hoya by sixth round knockout to win the WBC-NABF and vacant WBA Gold super bantamweight titles on July 13, 2019.
He won over Colombia's Hugo Berrio by fourth round knockout on November 9, 2019. Then he defeated another Colombian Oscar Negrete by UD10 on February 13, 2021.
The decision to conduct the Akhmadaliev-Rios match was announced when the purse bid hearing was conducted for the IBF mandatory title defense against Tapales, the No. 1 contender for the title.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
MAGSAYO, MARCIAL REGISTER WINS IN LAS VEGAS
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 20 Jul 2025Pacquiao vs Barrios: Factors of consequence
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 20 Jul 2025How to Watch Pacquiao vs Barrios in the Philippines
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 20 Jul 2025Final Hours Tick Down: Pacquiao and Barrios Ready for Destiny in Las Vegas
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Philippines Sweeps Kyrgyzstan, Secures Return to Davis Cup Group III
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Blu Girls Bounce Back, Blank Hong Kong 12–0 in Four Innings
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Pacquiao vs. Barrios: Weigh-in Results and Fight Analysis
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Panamanian Star Nataly Delgado wins WBA super flyweight champinship
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Usyk vs Dubois Rematch Marred by Oversaturated Pay-Per-View Market
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Weights from Washington, PA
Sat, 19 Jul 2025Pacquiao and Barrios Make Weight: Final Hurdle Cleared for Blockbuster Saturday Night
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 19 Jul 2025Usyk Registers Career-Heaviest Weight as Dubois Looks Ready for Undisputed Rematch at Wembley
Sat, 19 Jul 2025Rodriguez vs. Cafu Unification Clash Set for Frisco, Texas; All Fighters Make Weight
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 19 Jul 2025LOPEZ VS. VARGAS WEIGHTS FROM PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
Sat, 19 Jul 2025“Bambol” Tolentino in Las Vegas: Supporting Filipino Athletes and Pacquiao
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 18 Jul 2025