FILIPINO boxing champion Marlon Tapales will be present at ringside to witness the highly-anticipated title showdown between WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton of the United States and challenger Naoya Inoue of Japan in Tokyo, Japan on July 25.

Tapales, who has held world championships in two weight classes, including the unified WBA super and IBF super bantamweight titles since April 2023, is eager to observe the skills and strategies to be displayed by the two formidable fighters as they vie for supremacy in the super bantamweight division.

Tapales, nicknamed “Nightmare”, is preparing for his next fight for the undisputed super bantamweight title..

“Attending the event will provide Tapales with a valuable opportunity to assess his potential next opponent for the undisputed super bantamweight title,” said Tapales’ manager Jim Claude

Manangquil of Sanman Boxing.

Tapales and Manangquil will be accompanied at ringside of the Fulton-Inoue fight by well-known promoter Sean Gibbons of MP Promotions, who is dedicated to Tapales’ success and advancement in the sport of boxing.

Tapales, the 31-year-old pride of Tubod, Lanao del Norte, is known for his exceptional talent and tenacity inside the ring.

He believes that witnessing the fight live and gaining a closer look at his potential next foe will give him a competitive advantage in his future endeavors.

By studying the techniques and styles of both Fulton and Inoue, Tapales aims to fine-tune his own skills and develop a winning strategy tailored to his next challenge.

Tapales, who turned pro in 2008, holds a record of 37 wins, 19 by knockouts, against only three losses in 40 fights.

Last April, he stunned the boxing world by beating Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan bysplit decision at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas to become the unified super bantamweight champion.

Tapales earned the nod of two judges, who gave him115-113, while the third judge saw Akhmadaliev as the winner, 118-110.

And last nonth, Tapales’ camp received the go-signal from the WBA to enter a voluntary title defense, paving the way for a unificcation bout against the victor of the Fulton-Inoue fight.

As per record, Tapales is the only remaining Filipino currently holding one of the four major boxing world titles after Melvin Jerusalem lost his WBO minimumweight belt following a seventh-round stoppage at the hands of Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico last May 27.