![](https://wbcboxing.com/wp-content/uploads/Inoue_Tapales_WBc-1200x675.jpg)
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship
December 26, 2023 / Tokyo, Japan / Ariake Arena
OHASHI PROMOTIONS PRESENTS:
NAOYA “Monster” INOUE (Japan)
WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion, 1st defense
Former WBC Light Flyweight & Bantamweight World Champion
Age: 30 / Date of birth: April 10, 1993
Residence, birthplace: Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
Record: 25-0, 22 KOs / Total rounds: 146 / World championship fights: 20-0, 18 KOs
Height: 5’5” – 165cm / Reach: 67.5” – 171cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Sayuri Ohashi / Trainer: Shingo Inoue
MARLON “The Nightmare” TAPALES (Philippines)
WBA & IBF Super Bantamweight World Champion
Age: 31 / Date of birth: March 23, 1992
Residence: Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines / Birthplace: Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines
Record: 37-3, 19 KOs / Total rounds: 258 / World championship fights: 2-0, 1 KO
Height: 5’2.5” – 159cm / Reach: 65” – 165mc / Stance: Left-handed
Promoter: Manny Pacquiao / Manager: Jim Claude Manangquil / Trainer: Ernel Fontanilla
1. Rigoberto Riasco (Pan) 1976
2. Royal Kobayashi (Jap) 1976
3. Dong-Kyun Yum (Kor) 1976 – 1977
4. Wilfredo Gomez (P. Rico) 1977 – 1982
5. Jaime Garza (US) 1983 – 1984
6. Juan Meza (US) 1984 – 1985
7. Lupe Pintor (Mex) 1985 – 1986
8. Samart Payakaroon (Thai) 1986 – 1987
9. Jeff Fenech (Aust) 1987 – 1988
10. Daniel Zaragoza (Mex) 1988 – 1990
11. Paul Banke (US) 1990
12. Pedro Decima (Arg) 1990 – 1991
13. Kiyoshi Hatanaka (Jap) 1991
14. Daniel Zaragoza (Mex) * 1991 – 1992
15. Thierry Jacob (Fra) 1992
16. Tracy Patterson (US) 1992 – 1994
17. Hector Acero-Sanchez (D.R.) 1994 – 1995
18. Daniel Zaragoza (Mex) * 1995 – 1997
19. Erik Morales (Mex) 1997 – 2000
20. Willie Jorrin (US) 2000 – 2002
21. Oscar Larios (Mex) 2002 – 2005
22. Israel Vazquez (Mex) 2005 – 2007
23. Rafael Marquez (Mexico) 2007
24. Israel Vazquez (Mexico) * 2007 – 2008
25. Toshiaki Nishioka (Japan) 2008 – 2012
26. Abner Mares (Mexico) 2012 – 2013
27. Victor Terrazas (Mexico) 2013
28. Leo Santa Cruz (Mexico) 2013 – 2015
29. Julio Ceja (Mexico) 2015 – 2016
30. Hugo Ruiz (Mexico) 2016
31. Hozumi Hasegawa 2016
32. Rey Vargas (Mexico) 2017 – 2020
33. Tomoki Kameda (Japan) Interim 2018
34. Luis Nery (Mexico) 2020 – 2021
35. Brandon Figueroa (US) 2021
36. Stephen Fulton Jr. (US) 2021 – 2023
37. Naoya Iinoue (Japan) 2023 –
* Regained title
1. Wilfredo Gomez (Puerto Rico)
2. Erik Morales (Mexico)
3. Jeff Fenech (Australia)
4. Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico)
5. Israel Vazquez (Mexico)
6. Abner Mares (Mexico)
7. Leo Santa Cruz (Mexico)
8. Tracy Patterson (US)
9. Oscar Larios (Mexico)
10. Royal Kobayashi (Japan)
34 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only two have regained the title: Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) two times, Israel Vazquez (Mexico).
117 WBC super bantamweight world title bouts have been held in WBC history.
Wilfredo Gomez (Puerto Rico) holds the record for super bantamweight world title defenses with 17.
Daniel Zaragoza (Mexico) made 14 title defenses in three periods as champion.
Oscar Larios (Mexico) made 10 title defenses.
July 25, 2023 Naoya Inoue TKO8 Stephen Fulton – Tokyo, Japan
June 4, 2022 Stephen Fulton Jr. W12 Danny Roman – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nov. 27, 2021 Stephen Fulton Jr. W12 Brandon Figueroa – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 15, 2021 Brandon Figueroa KO7 Luis Nery – Carson, California
Sep. 26, 2020 Luis Nery W12 Aaron Alameda – Uncasville, Connecticut
Feb. 25, 2017 Rey Vargas W12 Gavin McDonnell – Hull, England
Sep. 16, 2016 Hozumi Hasegawa TKO9 Hugo Ruiz – Osaka, Japan
Feb. 27, 2016 Hugo Ruiz TKO1 Julio Ceja – Anaheim, California
Aug. 29, 2015 Julio Ceja TKO5 Hugo Ruiz – Los Angeles, California
Aug. 24, 2013 Leo Santa Cruz KO3 Victor Terrazas – Carson, California
Nov. 10, 2012 Abner Mares W12 Anselmo Moreno – Los Angeles, California
May 23, 2009 Toshiaki Nishioka TKO3 Jhonny Gonzalez – Monterrey, Mexico
Mar. 1, 2008 Israel Vazquez W12 Rafael Marquez – Carson, California
Aug. 4, 2007 Israel Vazquez TKO6 Rafael Marquez – Hidalgo, Texas
Mar. 3, 2007 Rafael Marquez TKO7 Israel Vazquez – Carson, California
Dec. 3, 2005 Israel Vazquez TKO3 Oscar Larios – Las Vegas, Nevada
May 17, 2002 Oscar Larios TKO12 Israel Vazquez – Sacramento, California
Feb. 19, 2000 Erik Morales W12 Marco Antonio Barrera – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sep. 6, 1996 Erik Morales KO11 Daniel Zaragoza – El Paso, Texas
Nov. 6, 1995 Daniel Zaragoza W12 Hector Acero-Sanchez – Inglewood, California
Aug. 26, 1994 Hector Acero-Sanchez W12 Tracy Harris Patterson – Atlantic City
June 23, 1992 Tracy Harris Patterson TKO2 Thierry Jacob – Albany, New York
Mar. 20, 1992 Thierry Jacob W12 Daniel Zaragoza – Calais, France
Feb. 29, 1988 Daniel Zaragoza TKO10 Carlos Zarate – Inglewood, California
May 8, 1987 Jeff Fenech KO4 Samart Payakaroon – Sydney, Australia
Jan. 18, 1986 Samart Payakaroon KO5 Lupe Pintor – Bangkok, Thailand
Aug. 18, 1985 Lupe Pintor W12 Juan Meza – Mexico City, Mexico
Nov. 3, 1984 Juan Meza KO1 Jaime Garza – Kingston, New York
June 15, 1983 Jaime Garza TKO2 Bobby Berna – Los Angeles, California
Dec. 3, 1982 Wilfredo Gomez TKO14 Lupe Pintor – New Orleans, Louisiana
Oct. 28, 1978 Wilfredo Gomez TKO5 Carlos Zarate – San Juan, Puerto Rico
Jan. 19, 1978 Wilfredo Gomez KO3 Royal Kobayashi – Kitakyushu, Japan
Oct. 9, 1976 Royal Kobayashi KO8 Rigoberto Riasco – Tokyo, Japan
Apr. 3, 1976 Rigoberto Riasco TKO9 Waruinge Nakayama – Panama City, Panama
By James Blears
There’s an unbending iron determination, molten ambition and searing desire, which drives Naoya “Monster” Inoue from within.
He states: “I want to continue my pursuit of the answer as to how strong I can become. I want to get to a place no Japanese will think of reaching.” It almost mirrors the Japanese proverb: “The Samurai always has to rise and move on, because new challenges will come.”
Already a four division champion including being the undisputed bantamweight champion, Naoya seeks to become the undisputed super-bantamweight champion. If he achieves it, he’ll be the second fighter to earn this distinction plus status in two categories. The first was Terence Crawford.
Although Naoya is the hot favorite, this upcoming fight is far from a slam dunk formality, because it’s against Marlon “Maranding Nightmare” Tapales (37-3, 19 KO’s). Naoya earned his place, winning the WBC and WBO belts in his super-bantamweight debut, by stopping Stephen Fulton via an eighth round TKO. Marlon got here with a split decision victory over Murodjon Akhmadaliev to hold aloft the WBA and IBF versions.
For this upcoming very special fight, Marlon is the road warrior as it’s in the Ariake Arena, Tokyo, stage of several Naoya classic triumphs. It’s the day after Christmas. In some countries this is known as Boxing Day, but this tradition has nothing to do with the Noble Art. Rather, it harks back to when the rich deigned to give the poor their cast offs. The re-boxed festive presents they didn’t want. Upstairs and Downstairs!
Naoya (25-0, 22 KO’s) has “Santa Claws” power! He’s 20-0 in world title fights with 18 KO’s. Mighty impressive, but no boxer is invincible. In his first fight with Nonito Donarire, a lapse of concentration during round two and in a “Flash” the Old Maestro belabored him with a pinpoint counter left hook, which simultaneously fractured his nose, right cheekbone and cut him over the right eye.
For the first time in his career, the Great One was facing adversity, and hampered with double vision. Yet he regained his composure and with it, the upper hand as befits his upper crust ability, by: “Using his loaf” and boxing smart. In round eleven he caught Nonito with a crafty, hellacious left hook to the liver which dropped him and after somehow getting up gasping, the sturdy veteran drew upon every ounce of willpower, guile and resolve to overcome what he described as the most painful punch received during his long career. Somehow he made it to the final bell.
Marlon was WBO bantamweight champion before gaining his laurels one division higher. To achieve this he KO’d Panya Uthok in round eleven. He himself was knocked down twice in the fifth, returning the favor in the sixth and eleventh.
Marlon has tasted the bitter cud of defeat three times. The first time he was a callow youth of seventeen, when he was competing for the Philippines Boxing Federation flyweight title against Brix Ray. He was knocked down in the fifth and six rounds and his corner called it a day at the end of the sixth, so he could live…and learn, to fight another day.
Three years later he lost a competitive MD to David Sanchez and in 2019 he was TKO’d in round eleven by Ryozuke Iwasa competing for the IBF super bantamweight crown. Bouncing back with three stoppage wins and a point victory since then and Naoya isn’t taking him lightly, praising him as having: “A flexible upper body, and who defends himself very well. And comes at you with extraordinary timing.” Almost a parallel of a Filipino saying: “When the blanket is short, learn to curl, for you to fit in it.”
Naoya has lightning uncanny timing, reinforced by exquisite anticipation and conclusive, concussive power which sends shockwaves through opponents. A typhoon which rains down to create reigns in different divisions. Aged 30, he gives himself five more years to fulfill his boxing ambitions. Too premature to say if he can got up further to featherweight, because he’s too professional to overlook what’s looming in his immediate future. But he has said: “I’ll listen to my body.”
What is Marlon’s strategy? If he goes for a slugfest trying for a quick win, he’s almost certainly outgunned by Naoya who is aptly nicknamed “Monster.” A crafty southpaw he might well opt for a long drawn out affair. But to do this, he would have to avoid a numbing body attack, at which the Japanese Superstar excels.
To win, Marlon aged 31, would have to transcend to the next level, because no other fighter has yet managed victory against Naoya. He would do well to bear in mind eight division and compatriot champion Manny Pacquiao’s words: “Life is meant to be a challenge, because challenges make you grow.” While borrowing the Japanese Sun Tzu proverb: “Victory is served for those willing to pay the price.”
Naoya has already mastered the Mao Zedong battle cry: “Civilize the mind, but make savage the body!”
test