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: Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi
Round nine
Penultimate round! Tsutsumi with a bit of a second wind, unloading short, varied shots to the head and body of Anaguchi, who responds with a step-back left cross.
Anaguchi stumbles back into the ropes; it looked like he tripped, but maybe he was caught on the end of a right hand?
Yes! It seems so, as he drops to the canvas moments later!
He’s back up, and Tsutsumi is pouring on punches, seeking a finish! But Anaguchi lands two stiff left hands – a hook and a cross – in retaliation!
Right hook to the body by Anaguchi, then two left crosses upstairs – hard shots! What a round!
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi
Round eight
Anaguchi with a spearing jab as he gets back to a spell of cleaner work, after a scrappy spell early in this round.
Anaguchi holds Tsutsumi at the end of his extended right arm, seemingly placing his glove right on Tsutsumi’s cut!
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi
Round seven
Tsutsumi gets after Anaguchi immediately, and before long he drops his compatriot with a right hand! That’s the second knockdown in four rounds!
Each time Anaguchi seems to be ahead, he gets caught! Tsutsumi seems to have been spurred on by the cut over his eye, as if he needs to get the job done quickly.
Stinging jab by Tsutsumi, then a barrage of hooks as Anaguchi covers up. Switch cross by Tsutsumi, but Anaguchi comes back with a left straight.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi
Round six
Tsutsumi closes range with a scrappy couple of overhands. It gets physical in close, with Anaguchi using his shoulder to fend off his opponent, and Tsutsumi reacts with a bit of a shove.
Tsutsumi tries to corner Anaguchi, who circles away with ease. Tsutsumi with some teasing hooks to the body at close range.
The bantamweights separate, and soon Tsutsumi misses with more wild shots as he tries to close distance, while Anaguchi tags him with a timely counter hook.
The referee pauses the action, with Tsutsumi needing to be checked due to a bad cut over his left eye. A lot of blood there...
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi
Round five
Tsutsumi squeezes some good uppercuts through Anaguchi’s guard, before popping his fellow Japanese with southpaw jabs.
Solid left hook from Anaguchi, who also stands southpaw. Now he digs a right into the body of Tsutsumi.
Perfectly-timed uppercut and left hook to the head by Tsutsumi! Beautiful one-two.
Brutal right hook to the body by Anaguchi, again, before Tsutsumi peppers him with more jabs upstairs.
Anaguchi once more with a right to the mid-section, then a wonderful flurry up top! It starts with a hook and ends with some swift, straight shots.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Undercard under way
As our coverage begins, Seiya Tsutsumi vs Kazuki Anaguchi is under way!
Tsutsumi with a perfect left cross and right hook to drop Anaguchi late in round four.
We pick things up in round five.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Undercard under way
Anddddddd the under card is under way! Our live fight updates begin now, as we build to Inoue vs Tapales in the main event.
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: The best boxer in the world fights on Tuesdays
Here’s our report from Inoue’s demolition of Stephen Fulton in July, an article that doubles up as a breakdown on why Inoue is must-watch every time he steps in the ring.
You just have to get used to the quirk of him boxing on Tuesday mornings, if you’re a fan in the UK!
And of course, this Tuesday happens to coincide with Boxing Day, fittingly.
The best boxer in the world fights on Tuesdays
Comment: The Japanese superstar took Stephen Fulton to pieces in Tokyo, becoming a four-division world champion in the process
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Pound-for-pound No 1?
If Inoue can win today, he will become just the second man to reign as undisputed champion in two divisions in the four-belt era.
The only boxer to do so, so far? Terence Crawford, who many fans see as boxing’s pound-for-pound No 1.
But not Indy Sport...
Crawford is *narrowly* behind Inoue in our rankings, with the Japanese superstar in top spot (or bottom spot, as you scroll down the article!).
Inoue vs Tapales LIVE: Boxing is the obvious sporting choice on Boxing Day
What’s the focal point of your Boxing Day? For some, it will be devouring the leftover turkey, roast potatoes and Brussels sprouts. For others, it will be a reluctant trip to the in-laws’ house for Christmas lite. For many readers on this page, it will be finding a comfy spot on the sofa and settling in for a slew of Premier League games. Lovely. In fact, the above aren’t mutually exclusive, but better yet? You can also squeeze in the real highlight of Boxing Day 2023 – one you might well have overlooked.
So, get the drive to the in-laws’ done nice and early, hold off on the leftovers until the afternoon (fill up on chocolate in the meantime, by all means), and look forward to the football, sure. But if you can bring yourself to miss just the early kick-off between an injury-ravaged Newcastle and flailing Nottingham Forest, then let your TV transport you to Tokyo. For there, the best boxer in the world returns to the ring.
On Boxing Day, boxing is the appropriate sporting choice, as Naoya Inoue makes his bid to create even more history. Read our full Inoue vs Tapalaes preview below, and if you can’t watch the fight, don’t go anywhere! We’ve got you covered right here.
Forget the football – boxing is the obvious sporting choice on Boxing Day
Let your TV transport you to Tokyo, where the best boxer in the world returns to the ring. Alex Pattle delves into Naoya Inoue’s bid to win even more world titles
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