TAPALES CALLS OUT BATAWANG!
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 16 Apr 2010
After a scintillating performance last April 9 in winning the Philippine light-flyweight crown, newly-minted RP 108-lb kingpin Marlon Tapales of Black Scorpion Boxing Stable plans on stepping up his game against grizzled and battle-tested opponents to avoid getting rusty and settling for low-level opposition.
"We want to keep him active. He is our best prospect right now, and we don't want to spoil his development by giving him easy fights," said Tapales' manager Lemuel "Bobong" Yap, who runs the Lanao del Norte-based boxing gym where the 17-year-old fighter trains.
Working with Yap in managing Tapales' career is Cebu-based boxing promoter Rex "Wakee" Salud, who was at ringside when Tapales disposed of previously unbeaten Warlito Parrenas inside seven rounds at the world-class Mindanao Civic Center in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte.
"We want to promote a Tapales fight against Bert Batawang next. This is the kind of fight he should get. We need quality opponent like Batawang," said Salud, who described Tapales' conquest over Parrenas as a "work of art."
To prepare for the Parrenas bout, Tapales trained for several weeks at Salud's RWS Boxing Gym, the same gym used by superstar Manny Pacquiao in preparing for the rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera.
Next week, Yap and Salud are slated to confer in Cebu regarding plans for Tapales' next career move, which includes a possible faceoff with Batawang, who recently figured in a scheduled 12-round IBF eliminator with ex-world champ Ulises Solis in Mexico.
The event last Friday at the Mindanao Civic Center, dubbed "The Lanao Power Punch," attracted a good crowd of some 3,000 spectators to came to witness the Kapatagan native dish out his best performance ever with a dominant win over Parrenas.
Born on March 23, 1993, the young Tapales started fighting as an amateur at age nine under Yap's guidance, and has had more than fifty fights before turning pro.
The son of Emilio Manlangit Tapales and Maria Baring Tanan did not dream much in his childhood, but said he only wanted to at least provide electricity to the house of his parents, which stands in the middle of rice paddies in the rice-producing town of Kapatagan, Lanao Del Norte.
"By winning that bout over Parrenas that night, he certainly lighted up all our dreams and aspirations in Lanao," said Yap's man Friday Boy Sanchez after the fight.
Last Friday's event was presented by the provincial government of Lanao del Norte headed by Gov. Khalid Dimaporo, Gran Matador Brandy, and the LGU of Kapatagan headed by Mayor Benjie Baguio.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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