Japanese sensation Naoya Inoue is aiming to claim the clear status of best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet against Marlon Tapales at the Ariake Arena tonight in Tokyo. Live from 7pm AEDT!
Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) is bidding to become a two-division undisputed champion as the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titleholder battles Filipino Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs), the IBF and WBA champion.
Inoue took his incredible power up with him from bantamweight where he also dominated the division.
He has not fought a non-title fight since April 2013 and in late 2022 became the No.1-ranked pound-for-pound boxer by The Ring, now sitting No.2 behind Terence Crawford.
Only Crawford, Katie Taylor, and Claressa Shields have been undisputed champion in two divisions.
Boxing: INOUE VS TAPALES TUES 26th DEC 7PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Opetaia lands “truly devastating” KO | 00:47
Tapales upset Murodjon Akhmadaliev in April to become champion on a controversial night where one of the three scorecards went 118-110 Akhmadaliev’s way.
The main card gets underway at 7pm AEDT with the main event expected to begin at 10pm AEDT. Watch it on Main Event via Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
FULL FIGHT CARD
Naoya Inoue (c) vs. Marlon Tapales (c) for the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF super bantamweight titles
Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Kazuki Anaguchi; Bantamweights
Kanamu Sakama vs. John Paul Gabunilas; Flyweights
Yoshiki Takei vs. Mario Diaz Maldonado; Super Bantamweights
Andy Hiraoka vs. Sebastian Diaz Maldonado; Super Lightweights
Suguru Ishikawa vs. Fuga Uematsu; Featherweights
Rikiya Sato vs. Keisuke Endo; Super Featherweights
Parker makes light work of Wilder | 01:29
