MARLON “The Nightmare” Tapales will not be fighting in Liloan, Cebu on Feb. 23 after the camp of Promoter Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud which handles the Mindanao boxer received an offer from Zanfer Promotions of Mexico for Tapales (21W-1L, 7 KOs) to fight at the State Gymnasium in Hermosillo, Mexico for an elimination bout against David “Tornado” Sánchez.
The fight will be supervised by the WBA and will determine the next challenger to WBA super flyweight champion Kohei Kono of Japan.
RWS Promotions decided to accept the Mexican offer for the fight also set on Feb. 23 Mexico Time.
As of this writing, the fight card in Liloan, Cebu at the Panphil B. Frasco Sports Complex has not been canceled as there are still nine pairs of boxers scheduled to see action. Tapales was supposed to face Danilo Pena in the main event.
Last October, Tapales won by second round knockout over Rasmanudin of Indonesia at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City in the the undercard of Pinoy Pride XVII.
The southpaw Tapales hails from Lanao del Norte and is a former Philippine lt.flyweight champion.
Sanchez (19W-2L-2D, 15KOs), who hails from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, has won nine straight fights since losing to countryman Mario Macias by split decision in 2010.