Marlon Tapales

Marlon Tapales (born March 23, 1992) is a Filipino professional boxer. He has held world championships in two weight classes, including the unified WBA (Super) and IBF super-bantamweight titles from April to December 2023, and previously the WBO bantamweight title from 2016 to 2017.

As of April 2023, he is ranked as world's second best active super bantamweight by The Ring. and the TBRB

First world title
In 2016, Tapales won the World Boxing Organization bantamweight world title over Pungluang Sor Singyu.

Tapales vs. Iwasa
On 7 December 2019, Tapales fought Ryosuke Iwasa for the vacant IBF super bantamweight title. During the fight Tapales suffered a concussion because of accidental head-clash. But the fight continued and Iwasa won via an eleventh-round TKO.

Tapales vs. Teshigawara
On 11 December 2021, Tapales fought Teshigawara, ranked #3 by the IBF at super bantamweight. Tapales managed to stop Teshigawara within two rounds.

Tapales vs. Akhmadaliev
On 8 April 2023, Tapales beat Murodjon Akhmadaliev via split decision to win the WBA (Super) and IBF super-bantamweight world titles and became a 2 weight world champion.

Tapales vs. Inoue
On August 21, 2023, it was reported that Tapales had entered into negotiations with the unified WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue for an undisputed title bout. The fight is expected to take place at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on 26 December 2023, and would be broadcast by ESPN+ in the United States. Tapales lost the fight by 10th round knockout against Inoue earning his fourth defeat. Despite the loss, however, Tapales made history for being the first Filipino boxer to fight for undisputed in the 4-belt era, and the second Asian to do so.