Tapales Joins Exclusive List of Filipino World Superbantam Champs
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 09 Apr 2023
In defeating defending WBA-IBF unified super bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev in what could be an upset of the Year candidate, Marlon Tapales also join an exclusive list of Filipino world champions in the 122 lbs division.
Tapales is only the fifth Filipino fighter to reign as world super bantamweight champion after Bobby Berna won our first as inaugural IBF titlist in 1984. And contrary to the claim of some, Marlon is not the first but our second unified world champion in the division after Nonito Donaire who won the IBF crown from Jeffrey Methabula to add it to the WBO title he won earlier.
However, Tapales is also among the few boxers who have successfully also won the super bantamweight title after reigning as world bantamweight champion. This exclusive list included Donaire, Lupe Pintor, Jeff Fenech, Rafael Marquez and Hosumi Hasegawa, among others.
The other Filipino fighters who also won the world championship in the super bantamweight class are Jesus Salud and Manny Pacquiao who won the IBF crown from Lehlo Lebwaba two years after moving up to the 122 lbs division straight from flyweight where he likewise reigned as WBC titlist from 1998-2000.
Berna lost his title in his first defense in South Korea while Salud was stripped of his WBA crown without making a defense.
Pacquiao was the most successful Filipino world champion of the division, making three title defenses all ending in knockout before moving up once again to the featherweights where he gained international acclaim with TKO win over Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003.
Donaire was relatively successful too, winning the WBO and IBF titles and making a few defenses before he ran smack against a prime Guillermo Rigondeaux and lost in their unification bout. Later he had another tenure as IBF titlist but failed in his first defense against Jessie Magdaleno on points.
The junior featherweight as the super bantamweight was known then had been in existence in the 1920s yet but was discontinued and was revived only in the late 1970s with Wilfredo Gomez as among the early world champions and the most dominant making the 122 lbs class as Waterloo for many a prominent bantamweight champions.
As unified WBA-IBF titleholder Tapales will have the chance to become the most successful of the lot as news have it that he will be fighting the winner of the Stephen Fulton- Naoya Inoue bout this July for the WBC and WBO belts with the undisputed world championship at stake.
That is if Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Promotion will not get in the way and demand an immediate rematch between Akhmadaliev and Tapales.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Josh Navarro Scores Another Win in Pomona, California
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 22 Aug 2025UNDEFEATED CRIZTIAN PITT LAURENTE SET TO FACE HEBI MARAPU FOR IBF PAN PACIFIC TITLE
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Dare To Enter: Undefeated WBC Interim Champion Vergil Ortiz to Defend Super Welterweight Title From Number 1 Contender Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Euri Cedeno Takes on Willie Jones on Friday, September 5th at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA
Fri, 22 Aug 2025COE AND HART CLASH ON BOOTS ENNIS CARD IN PHILADELPHIA
Thu, 21 Aug 2025‘There's nothing that he brings to the table that I've not got an answer for’ Sam Rennie on upcoming fight at Thunderdome 51
Thu, 21 Aug 2025JAMAINE "THE TECHNICIAN" ORTIZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 21 Aug 2025Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul: Exhibition Bout Announced for November
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 21 Aug 2025Legendary boxing coach John Brown Compares cornering Tommy Morrison & Rising young star Marco Romero
Thu, 21 Aug 2025World Kid to Host Meet-and-Greet and Open Workouts In advance of “The Return” on August 31 in Detroit
Thu, 21 Aug 2025Assassin’s Creed: Brian Norman Jr. Signs Multi-Year Contract Extension with Top Rank
Thu, 21 Aug 2025Five Philippine FIDE Masters are scheduled to arrive in Roxas City
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 21 Aug 2025Boxing Promotional Powerhouse Top Rank Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday, September 13, in Las Vegas
Thu, 21 Aug 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 12: MUHAMMAD ALI LOSSES THEN WINS AGAINST KEN NORTON
By Maloney L. Samaco, Wed, 20 Aug 2025Pasig and Quezon City top 1st PCAP Rated Open championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 20 Aug 2025