Marlon Tapales gets wish, set for undisputed fight vs Naoya Inoue

Filipino boxer Marlon Tapales and Japanese fighter Naoya Inoue. –TR BOXING

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino boxing champion Marlon Tapales and Naoya Inoue shared the ring together on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan.

And it won’t be the last time Tapales and Inoue would be in the same ring this year.

Inoue took a step closer in his bid to become the undisputed champion at super bantamweight after orchestrating an eight-round destruction of previously-unbeaten Stephen Fulton.

Undisputed next? 🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/aIvVkfeoM0

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) July 25, 2023

The 30-year-old Inoue (25-0, 22KOs) claimed the WBO and WBC titles at Ariake Arena to become a four-division champion just seven months after stopping Paul Butler at the same venue to complete all the major belts at bantamweight. He then quickly relinquished the titles and campaigned at 122 pounds.

Standing in Inoue’s way of becoming a two-division undisputed king is Tapales, the reigning WBA (Super) and IBF champion, who even rooted for the Japanese “Monster” to win against Fulton.

That's a WRAP.@NaoyaInoue_410 x #FultonInoue pic.twitter.com/cnxig626LU

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) July 25, 2023

Just last month, Tapales (37-3, 19KOs) got the go-signal from the WBA to enter a voluntary title defense against the winner of the Inoue-Fulton bout.

The 31-year-old Tapales, the pride of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, will aim to be the first Filipino to be crowned undisputed champion in boxing’s four-belt era that began in 2004.

The unification bout could be held in November in Japan.