By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Marlon Tapales did the unthinkable Saturday, April 8 (Sunday in Manila) as he dethroned Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev to capture the WBA and IBF junior featherweight titles before a stunned crowd.
The 31-year-old Tapales baffled Akhmadaliev with an array of combinations to prevail via a split decision at the Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas.
So sharp and smart was Tapales he earned the nod of two judges who gave him similar 115-113 scores while the other favored the Uzbek, 118-110.
The victory not only improved Tapales’ record to 37-3 including 19 knockouts but also dealt Akhmadaliev his first loss in 12 fights.
Tapales, a former WBO bantamweight champion who lost the belt nearly six years ago, unleashed his fury by landing powerful shots in the second round before Akhmadaliev retaliated in the fourth highlighted by a right hook off the jab in the final minute.
The Tubod, Lanao del Norte fighter slowly regained his pace in the ensuing rounds despite Akhmadaliev going on his offensive on the second half of the 12-round contest, including a pair of straight lefts that drove the Filipino bet early in round seven.
Tapales displayed his best in the last two rounds, outsmarting Akhmadaliev with short but precise shots in the 11th before fighting with a sense of urgency in the 12th and final round.
Though his split victory was jeered by the crowd who felt Akhmadaliev did enough to defend his three-year-old crown, Tapales shrugged it off, believing he won fair and square.
More importantly, Tapales earned a shot at meeting the NEWwinner of the Stephen Fulton-Naoya Inoue WBC/WBO junior featherweight title fight on July 25.
Tapales joins Melvin Jerusalem as the country’s reigning boxing champions this year.
Last January, Jerusalem stopped Japanese fighter Masataka Taniguchi in the second round to become the WBO world minimumweight champion held in Osaka, Japan.
