Naoya Inoue KNOCKS Out Marlon Tapales in Round 10 (VIDEO)

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Photo credit: ESPN / Top Rank

The hard-hitting Japanese star Naoya “Monster” Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) became a two-weight undisputed champion by stopping Filipino Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales (37-4, 19 KOs) in 10 rounds at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, December 26, 2023.

In Round 4, Inoue dropped Tapales once, and in Round 10, he secured a full ten count at 1:02, (VIDEO) unifying the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO junior featherweight titles. Inoue joins Terence Crawford as the second boxer to unify all four boxing world titles in two weight divisions in the four-belt era.

Inoue achieved undisputed status in the 122 lb division after just two fights, just over a year after fully unifying the 118 lb division.

Nevertheless, credit Tapales for embodying the Filipino spirit, displaying resilience despite being down once in the fourth round. He deserves respect for participating in an undisputed championship bout, even though, in the end, the 'Monster' emerged victorious once again

Inoue vs. Tapales Main Card & Undercard (RESULTS)
Naoya Inoue def. Marlon Tapales, via KO10 (VIDEO)
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Yoshiki Takei def. Mario Diaz Maldonado, TKO2
Andy Hiraoka def. Sebastian Diaz Maldonado, TKO5
Fuga Uematsu def. Suguru Ishikawa, via TKO4
Rikiya Sato def. Keisuke Endo, via UD
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Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales Live Round-by-Round Updates:
via badlefthook | [REPLAY VIDEO]

ROUND 1: Body shot early from Inoue, right hand under the high guard of the southpaw Tapales. Right down the middle is at least partially blocked by said high guard. Inoue looks to go around the side, doesn't land with the right. Tapales staying cautious but also in the center of the ring. Tapales lands a nice little lead left. Right to the body again from Inoue. Poking right to the body from Tapales. Sharper one shortly after. Inoue flicking his stiff jab out, mostly hitting the right glove of Tapales, but one sneaks in before the bell.

ROUND 2: Tapales staying shelled up to start the second round. Tapales steps in and eats a jab and goes down, but Celestino Ruiz calls it a slip. In real time I think that might have been a legit flash knockdown. Tapales trying for little shots but he's not the aggressor and he's not landing clean much. He's also falling in repeatedly and that might be what gets him knocked out. Inoue not landing huge shots or anything either, Tapales doing a good job so far of not giving Inoue free openings for the most part. Nice jab from Tapales late but still think this was another Inoue round.

ROUND 3: Tapales landing a shot here and there but then Inoue lands one or two right back. Inoue now trying to taunt/bait Tapales, dropping his hands, inviting him in. And now he's going to work a bit. Again, Tapales not giving anything away yet, but Inoue the clear aggressor and landing/doing more. Again with a good little body shot from Tapales, though. Still, it's one shot. Now THERE'S a combination from Tapales. And he's finding some success to the body, too. Inoue with a harder body shot, but Tapales had an elbow down to partially block again. FOOT BATTLE. Inoue closes the round stronger and takes it again, but Tapales not rolling over or getting rolled over.

ROUND 4: Inoue coming out throwing shots, then taunting a bit again, because Tapales is keeping that guard high. There's an uppercut from Tapales. Good body shot again from Inoue. And then one from Tapales. Tapales is fighting well, man. HARD left to the body from Inoue and Tapales does a bit of the Pacquiao Clap with his own gloves. Tapales doing some really nice work this round, though. He's coming forward, landing some good shots. And this is heating up. Good right up top from Inoue, he eats it and Tapales goes back to the body. Inoue now turning it up with hard rights to the body and a left up top. Tapales stops throwing a moment, but then fires a right hook that gets blocked. Right to the body again from Inoue. Inoue's really starting to get nasty now. Left hand hurts Tapales and now Inoue is opening up with both hands TAPALES GOES DOWN!

ROUND 5: Inoue coming out aggressive again this round. He's throwing hard shots to the head. Tapales turns him and gets Inoue stuck in the corner and tries to get some respect back, but Inoue basically ignores it, comes out of the corner, and is ripping to the head and body. HARD left hook up top gets around the glove. Right hand lands. Another. Tapales again digs to the body, but Inoue lands an uppercut. Give Tapales his respect, this dude is fighting his heart out and still looking to fire back hard. Inoue slows down, Tapales lands a bit to the body. Good uppercut from Tapales and then a body shot! And another good shot, but now Inoue is winging again! HELL YEAH! This is a fight! Big uppercut from Inoue lands. About a minute left in what has been a terrific round. Right hand from Inoue! Now marching forward, shots from both hands! Good fight!

ROUND 6: Tapales coming out with some aggression and again landing some good shots to start this round. Some good body shots, landing to the head. He's done good work! He's fought as well as he can! He's here to win! Inoue fighting more in the second half of the round, landing some hard shots. Rare to see anyone take this many hard shots from Inoue, honestly. And Tapales has slowed down. Inoue has, at times, totally invited Tapales leading the action, knowing he has the hand speed to be an effective counter puncher. And he lands hard shots late.

ROUND 7: Inoue with a left and a right. Tapales lands a left, but Inoue making him miss, too. Jab lands. Right hand from Inoue. Another. Tapales slowing down again in the latter part of the round. Inoue keeps stamping the rounds in the last half, or at least trying to. Another right from Inoue. Another. Tapales with another little left up top. Think Marlon did nick this round.

ROUND 8: Tapales has done better against Inoue than anyone since Donaire in the first fight. This isn't that kind of fight, but he's had a good plan and great effort. Inoue looking a little unsure of what to do, Tapales has made him think some more. Tapales doing some good chess match type work now. Inoue following more now, also missing a bit more. Tapales gets caught leaning over with a right. Tapales with a body shot. Little counter right from Inoue before the bell. Tapales using a bit of a shoulder roll this round to mixed results, but better than Ryan Garcia or Andre Berto.

ROUND 9: Inoue out with the right hand flying and backing Tapales up more. He's doubling that right. 1-2 from Tapales. Right hand again from Inoue. He's asserting himself again now, looking more like the earlier rounds. Two jabs and a right from Inoue, then a body shot.

ROUND 10: Inoue has started to tee off a bit more now. Tapales is tired. And Tapales goes down after a right hand. I think he's done. Yeah, the count got him.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Inoue KO10 Tapales.





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