WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue will attempt to become an undisputed champion in a second weight class when he challenges WBA and IBF titleholder Marlon Tapales on December 26 in Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) is coming off of an eyebrow-raising decimation of Stephen Fulton to capture two super bantamweight titles in his debut at 122 pounds. The highly touted Japanese fighter is widely recognized as one of the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world and aims to join Terence Crawford as the second male boxer to be undisputed in two different weight classes in the four-belt era.
Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) pulled off an upset in April when he defeated Murodjon Akhmadaliev by split decision to claim the WBA and IBF titles. The victory put him in the unlikely position to become an undisputed champion but he has a tall task ahead of him to dethrone one of the best boxers in the world.
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The Sporting News breaks down what Naoya Inoue will have to do in order to defeat Marlon Tapales and become the undisputed super bantamweight champion.
How does Naoya Inoue beat Marlon Tapales?
Inoue is a massive favorite heading into the fight but that doesn’t mean that he won’t have to be careful. He holds distinct advantages in just about every offensive category but will have to make sure he doesn’t take his opponent lightly. For starters, Inoue’s bodywork should be a priority for the Japanese fighter as it has routinely taken the wind out of his opponent’s sails. Tapales will rely on volume to win and everything that Inoue can do to slow Tapales down will be to his advantage.
Inoue is a masterful puncher with pristine technique. He’ll have to stay composed to find his openings against Tapales as the Filipino fighter will make more than enough mistakes on his own that can be capitalized upon. For starters, Tapales has a nasty tendency to lunge in when he throws power punches. It won’t be hard for Inoue to catch Tapales out of position and land a counter that could badly damage his opponent. But Tapales may be a lot more careful than he has been in previous fights knowing that leaving himself vulnerable is a recipe for disaster.
MORE: Everything you need to know about Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales
The busier Tapales is, the better chance he has to pull off the upset. Inoue should be aware of this and not allow Tapales to steal rounds by attempting to flurry at the end of the frame. As long as Inoue doesn’t become too patient and allow himself to fall behind while looking for the perfect punch, he should stay in control without giving up rounds.
Tapales doesn’t possess great defense or footwork, which should allow Inoue to apply pressure and cut off the ring. If Tapales is forced to fight off his back foot, it’ll limit his opportunities to land a big shot.
This is a simple case of Inoue being himself and not underestimating his opposition. He has distinct advantages in just about every aspect of the game and as long as he doesn't look past Tapales, he can add another distinction to his remarkable resume.