Marlon Tapales believes he holds the key to beating the seemingly invincible Naoya “Monster” Inoue.
“I don’t fear him,” Tapales said on the eve of his departure for Tokyo.
Fear is the one thing that the vast majority of Inoue’s victims had when they battled the Japanese pound-for-pound star in the past.
I do believe him.
I have seen him up close and personal in his key fights. I was there at ringside when he picked himself up from the deck thrice to stop his Pungluang Sor Singyu to his first world title in 2016 in hostile Ayutthaya, Thailand.
When he got stripped of the title the following year, Tapales was on the brink of defeat but went to halt his rampaging Japanese foe, Shohei Omori, in the 11th round in Osaka.
And for the third time last April in San Antonio, Tapales met Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev and beat him to become what he is today — the reigning World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight titlist.
This current collection could increase to four if he scores a mighty upset against Inoue on 26 December at the Ariake Arena.
Inoue owns the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization belts.
The odds are stacked heavily against the Lanao del Norte southpaw because Inoue lives up to his monstrous nickname.
But what separates Tapales from them is his courage.
The guy is not the type to walk away from a fight.
He is tried and tested. Proven.
And his ultimate test will take place the day after Christmas in wintry Tokyo.
Based on what he has been exhibiting during the last two days in Tokyo, Tapales is not in any way being bothered by the change of scenery.
Moments after touching down at Haneda Airport, he gladly answered questions from the Japanese media. Barely 24 hours later, Tapales beamed with pride while hosting an open workout at the Ohashi Gym, the home of Inoue.
On the 24th, Tapales gets to meet Inoue face-to-face during a press conference at the Ballroom of the Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel and Towers.
They are going to be requested to engage in a staredown as this is customary.
Don’t expect him to be the first to blink.
