MARLON Tapales of Lanao del Norte scored a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Mobile Martin Mubiru of Uganda last Sunday in their 10-round slambang held at the Panphil B. Frasco Memorial Sports Complex in Liloan, northern Cebu.
The Japan-based Mubiru tried giving the southpaw Tapales different looks by shifting from a left to right-handed stance with ease resulting in closely-fought early rounds.
In the fourth round, Tapales targeted the African’s midsection and found his weakness. A sharp right uppercut to the body sent Mubiru down. Mubiru got up and continued to fight but a series of hooks to the ribs sent him down again in the sixth. He got up only to be deducted a point for a headbutt. In the seventh round, Mubiru walked into a right hook and went down again.
A clash of heads opened a cut on Tapales’ right eyelid which resulted in another point deduction against Mubiru. Sensing he was way behind on points, Mubiru made one last charge for a knockout but Tapales’ defense kept him out of trouble. The judges’ scores read: 97-89, 96-90 and 96-90 all for Tapales.
Tapales, who fights out of the Wakee Salud Gym of Cebu, improved to 19W-1L, 6 KOs while Mubiru dropped to 8W-3L, 5 KOs.
DEMECILLO SINGWANGCHA WINS
Meanwhile, Marco Demecillo Singwangcha of Iligan City scored a 9th-round technical decision victory agaist Louie Bantigue of Manila to win the Philippine interim superflyweight crown.
Official time of the TKO is 1:16. His sponsor, Naris Singwangcha of Thailand, gave him extra cash as incentive.
RJ Anoos of Liloan gave his home fans a reason to cheer as he knocked out Joan de Guia with a three-punch combo punctuated by a right straight in 2:53 of the first round.
In the undercards, Marlo Sandoval Singwangcha won by TKO over Gerry Tumogdan before the start of the 5th round, Jerpaul Valero won by unanimous decision over Allan Doronilla, Rajah Renoel Pael stopped Rodel Songquit in the 4th while Jayson Redondo Singwangcha won by TKO before the start of the sixth and last round over Honey Boy Vidad when the ring physician recommended the stoppage due to profuse bleeding from Vidad’s nose.
Sehayahei Llanera Singwangcha won by TKO in the second round against Joel Soterol while in the card’s opening bout, Arnel Caoktoy won by 3rd-round TKO over Rex Quimaw.
Boxers who scored short wins received extra cash from Naris Singwangcha in the fight card co-promoted by Rex ‘Wakee’ Salud.
The card billed as Laban ng Lahi: The Young Prospects will be seen on GMA TV the schedule of which will be announced later.