Tapales, Laurente to help Inoue against MJ
By Lito delos Reyes
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 17 Jul 2025
FROM former adversaries to new allies.
This is what Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales become as one of the sparring partners of undisputed world super bantamweight champion Naoya "Monster" Inoue of Japan as he defends his three crowns against Murodion “MJ” Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan on September 14 at the IG Arena in Nagoya.
The 33-year-old Tapales [40-4-0, 21KOs], a former IBF World bantamweight champion, will be joined by the undefeated Criztian Pitt “Golden Boy” Laurente [14-0-0, 9KOs] of General Santos City on July 17 for Japan.
“Both Tapales and Laurente are southpaws just like Akhmadaliev,” said manager JC Manangquil of Sanman Boxing.
Inoue, 32 [30-0-0, 27KOs], who knocked out Tapales in the 10th round in December 2023, is an orthodox.
Tapales, who is from Lanao del Norte, retired Jon Joh Jet of Indonesia in the 3rd round to win the WBC International Silver super bantamweight title last April 27 in General Santos City.
The 25-year-old Laurente, on the other hand, scored a 2nd round knockout against Alvin Lagumbay last April 27 in Gensan.
He recently sparred against Tapales at the Sanman Boxing Gym in Gensan.
Both of them are expected to learn something from Inoue, who holds the IBF, WBC and WBO World super bantamweight titles.
PARTNERS. Marlon Tapales [left] and Pitt Laurete pose after sparring.
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