Tapales battles Mubiru

MARLON Tapales and Martin “Mobile Martin” Mubiru both weighed 117lbs during yesterday’s official weigh-in held at the Games and Amusements Board office in Cebu City, paving the way for today’s 10-round, non-title battle in Liloan, Cebu.

Tapales (18W-1L, 6 KOs), a blue chip prospect from Lanao del Norte, will face his third foreign opponent in Mubiru.

Last May, he beat Alejandro Solorio of California by majority decision after six rounds in Las Vegas. He then returned to his hometown of Tubod and knocked out Yodpichai Sithsaithong of Thailand in the fourth round.

Mubiru (8W-2L, 5 KOs) is from Uganda but is now based in Japan.

Also scheduled to see action is another rising prospect, Marco Demecillo Singwangcha, who will fight Loiue Bantigue for the interim Philippine superflyweight title.

Demecillo carries the name of his Thai sponsor, Naris Singwangcha. He is unbeaten in 15 bouts, winning 10 by knockout with one draw. Bantigue (21W-12L-7D, 12 KOs) is a tough veteran who has beaten two Japanese foes — Ippei Aoki and Ryuji Ikehara.

Also to be featured tonight are seven undercard bouts.

The fight card is billed as Laban ng Lahi: The Young Prospects and will be telecast on a delayed basis over GMA TV. Boxing fans who want to watch it live at Lilioan’s Panphil B. Frasco Memorial Sports Complex will only have to pay P50. Fights start at 5 p.m.  /Correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.