Naoya Inoue became undisputed champion at super bantamweight, as he pounded out a tenth round knockout win against Marlon Tapales at the Ariake Arena in Japan.
Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) had crusaded through the lower weights, and, after becoming undisputed super bantamweight champion last December, the Japanese ‘Monster’ moved up and collected the WBC and WBO belts at super bantamweight with a masterful eighth round stoppage of Stephen Fulton in July. Tapales (37-4, 19 KOs) was largely unheralded, but upset Murodjon Akhmadaliev with a split decision win in April to take the WBA (Super) and IBF crowns.
Tapales was giving as good as he was getting in the early going, as both men weren’t afraid to let their hands go in a give-and-take opening quarter of the contest.
The end never seems far away though with the Japanese superstar, and the fourth round saw a ruthless head attack from Inoue, and he connected with a jarring left hand, and a follow up assault forced Tapales to the canvas, where he was grateful to survive and hear the bell.
Inoue sensed he had his man beaten, and he cranked up the pressure in the fifth, going through his repertoire of spiteful punches, but Tapales showed heart to fire back and land shots of his own. Try as Tapales might, Inoue kept rattling off the hard punches, but the Filipino was giving a good account of himself under heavy fire. The end was swift and punishing in coming in round ten, as Inour unleashed a massive right hand that drove Tapales to the ropes, and then to the canvas, where he was counted out.
INOUE. UNDISPUTED X2 🏆🏆#InoueTapales pic.twitter.com/a19tJaf0Fi
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) December 26, 2023
Japanese talent shines on undercard
On the undercard, Seiya Tsutsumi (10-0-2, 7 KOs) retained his Japanese bantamweight title with a points win over the previously unbeaten Kazuki Anaguchi (6-1, 2 KOs) A score of 95-91, and two at 94-92 sealed the win for the champion.
Andy Hiraoka (23-0, 18 KOs) ticked over on the card, stopping Sebastian Diaz Madonado (18-7-1, 13 KOs) in the fifth of a scheduled eight at super lightweight.
Yoshiki Takei (8-0, 8 KOs) kept his perfect record, knocking out Mario Diaz Maldonado (21-7, 9 KOs) in two rounds of their super bantamweight encounter, and Kanamu Sakama (9-0, 8 KOs) halted John Paul Gabunilas (10-3, 7 KOs) in the fifth at flyweight.
Fuga Uetmatsu (2-0, 2 KOs) remained unbeaten, stopping Suguru Ishikawa (3-6-1, 2 KOs) in the fourth and final round at featherweight, and debutant Rikaya Sato (1-0, KO0) won on points over four against Keisuke Endo (0-3).
