Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Boxing fight updates and results today
Re-live the action from Tokyo, where Naoya Inoue fought Marlon Tapales for undisputed status
Naoya Inoue dropped and stopped Marlon Tapales on Tuesday, becoming a two-weight undisputed champion in the process.
With his 10th-round victory in Tokyo, the Japanese unified his WBC and WBO super-bantamweight belts with Tapales’s WBA and IBF titles. The result made Inoue, 30, just the second man to become undisputed in two divisions in the four-belt era, after Terence Crawford achieved that feat in July.
Tapales, 31, was a game opponent in the Japanese capital, but ultimately the Filipino went the same way as all of Inoue’s other opponents, as the home fighter stayed unbeaten and solidified his status as a four-weight world champion.
Inoue appeared to drop Tapales with a counter jab in round two, but the referee instead ruled the moment a slip by the Filipino. However, Inoue would score official knockdowns in rounds four and 10, with the latter ending the fight.
In round four, it was a left hook by Inoue that hurt Tapales, who was then put down by an onslaught of follow-up shots. Yet the southpaw showed resilience to fight on and make the bout competitive, even landing a number of clean shots to the head and body of Inoue, targeting the latter well in the clinch.
It seemed that the fight would go the distance, until Tapales stumbled backwards and fell to his knees in round 10, despite appearing to block a heavy right cross. The power of the shot seemingly proved too much for the WBA and IBF champion, who crawled forwards but could not stand in time to beat the referee’s count.
Re-live updates below.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE
It’s fair to say that Inoue’s performance and triumph here solidify him as the Indy Sport pound-for-pound No 1.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round 10
Naoya Inoue def. Marlon Tapaes via 10th-round KO (1:02).
Undefeated, still, and now undisputed in a second weight class! Inoue becomes the second man to achieve that feat in the four-belt era, joining Terence Crawford.
Light-flyweight world champion, super-flyweight world champion, undisputed bantamweight champion... and now... undisputed super-bantamweight champion.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round 10
Clean left cross by Tapales. Now a heavy uppercut to the body.
Mean right cross by Inoue, which seemed to be partially blocked, but Tapales falls to his knees anyway!
He crawls forward but can’t beat the count! It’s over, out of nowhere!!
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round nine
Four rounds to go, including this one, barring any stoppages.
Solid lead right hook by Tapales, before Inoue shoves him away.
Inoue tries a few right crosses, setting each one up in a different way, and the third effort lands.
Slick jab by Tapales to catch out Inoue, who had just evaded an uppercut nicely.
Inoue stays on the front foot, slinging out more right straights. They’re getting through more frequently now.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round eight
Hard right cross by Inoue, then a rapid, grazing counter jab.
Tapales holds Inoue and buries another left hook into the body of the home fighter.
Inoue hops in with a right hook that’s largely blocked. Again Inoue lunges in with a right hook, this time adding a left hand. Good uppercut, too.
Left and right hook combo from Inoue. A right cross is just wide of the mark.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE
Proof that Tapales is very much in this fight!
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round seven
Stiff, clean jab by Tapales! Inoue gets the Filipino off him with two brutal hooks to the cheeks, though – one on each side.
Now Tapales hides a southpaw cross behind a jab. Good work. Back comes Inoue as ever. Tapales holds him and burrows some left hooks into the midriff.
Double-jab, right hand by Inoue. It’s amazing how much power he generates along with his speed; neither is sacrificed for the other.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round six
Inoue skips in behind a series of short, teasing, straight shots.
Tapales comes forward now, though, cornering Inoue again and bashing the body.
Tapales is very much in this fight. He corners Inoue again, but the Japanese fights his way out with some right crosses.
More right straights by Inoue – all aimed at the head, some of them blocked. Now he varies his offence, targeting the body before springing back upstairs.
Six rounds down, six more scheduled.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round five
Inoue gets right after Rapales, who stays composed and reverses the position, cornering the Japanese.
Hammer of a left hook to the body by Inoue, then a right hook up top. He repeats that pattern. This is incredible stuff.
Tapales is getting backed up, is he on borrowed time? OH! He lands a clean right hook that has Inoue slightly off balance!
And another right hook by Tapales! Inoue can’t get complacent!
Inoue with a winging right hook of his own. Tapales responds in kind. Inoue unfurls a left hook to the body.
OH! Lovely uppercut by Inoue rattles the jaw of Tapales.
Inoue with perfect head movement then a slick counter right hand. Ouch. He goes back to the body. Tapales replies with an uppercut upstairs.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Round four
Tapales gets out on the front foot, but Inoue is quick to fire back.
Both men appear to land grazing right hooks simultaneously. They’re both loading up at the moment...
Both fighters land a series of spiteful hooks, to the body and upstairs! They’re almost taking turns! This is brilliant stuff.
Cross, uppercut, cross by Inoue, then a clean left hook that hurts Tapales! He pours on shots, and down goes Tapales against the ropes!!!
Tapales beats the count and the bell sounds!
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