SPORTSCLOPEDIA 49:. MURODJON AKHMADALIEV VS. MARLON TAPALES WBA/IBF SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TALE OF THE TAPE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 08 Apr 2023
Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Birth Name Murodjon Kakharovich Akhmadaliev
Title WBA (Super) and IBF superbantamweight champion since 2020 to present
Official Weight 121.6 lbs
Total fights 11
Wins 11
Wins by KO 8
Losses 0
Rounds 69
KO Rate 72.73%
Debut April 21, 2018
Nickname MJ
Birth Date November 2, 1994
Age 28
Nationality Uzbekistan
Stance Southpaw
Height 5′ 5½″ (166cm)
Reach 68″ (173cm)
Residence Indio, California, USA
Birth place Chust, Uzbekistan
Last Ten Fights
Jun 25, 2022 Ronny Rios W-TKO 12
Nov 19, 2021 Jose Velasquez W-UD 12
Apr 3, 2021 Ryosuke Iwasa W-TKO 5
Jan 30, 2020 Daniel Roman W-SD 12
Sept 13, 2019 Wilner Soto W-TKO 4
Apr 26, 2019 Carlos Carlson W-KO 3
Nov 24, 2018 Isaac Zarate W-TKO 9
Aug 23, 2018 Ramon Contreras W-KO 1
Jul 14, 2018 Luis Fernando Molina W-UD 6
Apr 21, 2018 Carlos Gaston Suarez W-TKO 4
* * *
Marlon Tapales
Birth Name Marlon Tanan Tapales
Title Former WBO bantamweight champion from 2016 to 2017
Ratings No. 1 IBF, No. 9 WBA superbantamweight contender
Official Weight 121.8 lbs
Total fights 39
Wins 36
Wins by KO 19
Losses 3
Rounds 246
KO Rate 48.72%
Debut July 18, 2008
Nickname Nightmare
Birth Date March 23, 1992
Age 31
Nationality Philippines
Stance southpaw
Height 5′ 4″ (163cm)
Reach 67 1⁄2 in (171 cm)
Residence Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines
Birth place Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines
Last Ten Fights
May 14, 2022 Jose Estrella W-KO2
Dec 11, 2021 Hiroaki Teshigawara W-KO2
Nov 21, 2020 Eden Sonsona W-TKO2
Dec 12, 2019 Ryosuke Iwasa L-TKO11
Jun 1, 2019 Roberto Castaneda W-KO3
Feb 16, 2019 Fernando Vargas Parra W-RTD5
Sept 30, 2018 Goodluck Mrema W-KO1
Apr 23, 2017 Shohei Omori W-TKO11
Jul 27, 2016 Panya Uthok W-KO11
Dec 16, 2015 Shohei Omori W-TKO2
* * *
Marlon Tapales wants to become world champion again when he challenges incumbent unified champion Murodion Akhmadaliev for the unified WBA and IBF superbantamweight titles at Tech Port Arena in San Antonio, Texas. Tapales, the former WBO bantamweight champion, is considered by oddsmakers as the underdog against the undefeated Akhmadaliev.
* * *
But Tapales of Sanman Boxing is not threatened by the status believing they prepared so hard to beat the champion Uzbek Akhmadaliev, a bronze medalist in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, and is the first unified world champion of Uzbekistan.
* * *
In July 17, 2016, Tapales won the World Boxing Organization bantamweight world title over Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand by 11th round KO after flooring him twice in the fifth round in Ayutthaya City Park, Ayutthaya, Thailand.
* * *
He lost the title on the scales the following year after his failure to get the weight limit for a rematch against Omori, and was relegated to fight in tuneup bouts before losing to Ryosuke Iwasa by eleventh round TKO in December 7, 2019 for the vacant IBF super bantamweight title.
* * *
On December 11, 2021, Tapales fought Hiroaki Teshigawara, rated No. 3 by the IBF at super bantamweight. Tapales stopped Teshigawara in two rounds at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, USA.
* * *
Akhmadaliev has twice defended his unified titles since grabbing the belts from American Danny Roman by split decision on January 30, 2020 at the Meridian at Island Gardens, Miami, Florida, U.S.
* * *
He won a twelve-round unanimous decision win over Chile's Jose Velasquez last November 19 in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA. Velasquez replaced WBA mandatory challenger Ronny Rios who was tested positive for COVID-19 just a week before their scheduled fight.
* * *
On April 3, 2021, Akhmadaliev scored a fifth-round knockout victory over IBF mandatory challenger Ryosuke Iwasa of Japan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It was his first fight in his native country since winning the gold medal there in the 2017 Asian Amateur Championships tournament.
* * *
On June 25, 2022, Akhmaladiev finally met American Ronny Rios and won by a twelfth-round technical knockout at Tech Port Arena, San Antonio, Texas, USA to retain the WBA (Super) and IBF super-bantamweight titles. He decked Rios with a flurry of punches in the last round, and although Rios was able to beat the count, he was knocked out with another barrage of punches.
* * *
Akhmadaliev, as an amateur, won a silver medal at the 2015 World Championships in Doha, Qatar and bronze medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics as a bantamweight.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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