Naoya Inoue’s Next Fight Against Marlon Tapales

Naoya Inoue’s career achievements have, to a certain degree, flown under the radar up until now. However, there will be no denying the Japanese fighter’s claim to be the greatest active boxer alive if he beats Marlon Tapales when the pair go head-to-head on the 26th of December, 2023. 

The 12-round contest will take place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo and will be for the undisputed super-bantamweight championship of the world. 

For Inoue, this upcoming contest against Tapales presents another opportunity to write his name into the history books as he aims to become a double-weight undisputed champion. It would be a remarkable achievement for Inoue but at the same time, it’s worth keeping in mind that Tapales will have his sights set on creating his own history when he goes behind enemy lines. 

All eyes will be on Japan’s capital on Boxing Day as these two men fight for eternal greatness. 

Naoya Inoue vs Marlon Tapales

Naoya Inoue will return to the Ariake Arena in Tokyo for the third consecutive time when he fights Marlon Tapales for the undisputed super-bantamweight title. This bout, scheduled to take place a day after Christmas, is seen by many as a gift-wrapped chance for Inoue to extend his undefeated record against an opponent who has tasted defeat on three separate occasions in his career. 

The latest Naoya Inoue betting odds tend to support this premise as the Japanese boxer has been priced at  -1500 to beat Tapales. On paper, this bout looks like a mismatch but that has more to do with Inoue’s generational talent rather than Tapales being a poor boxer.

On the contrary, the Filipino boasts an impressive record of 40 fights and 37 wins with 19 of those victories coming by way of knockout. While Tapales has lost three times, his last defeat came in 2019 and since then, he has recorded four straight wins. 

In other words, Inoue is set to meet an extremely competent boxer in his own right when the pair square up in Tokyo. The problem for Tapales is that he will face a man whose career will be used as a case study for greatness.

Indeed, Inoue hasn’t lost in 25 career bouts and during this time, the 30-year-old has racked up 22 wins by way of knockout. Incredibly, this gives the Japanese star an 88 % knockout ratio so far in his professional career. 

With such a prolific record, it is not surprising to see the next Naoya Inoue fight odds list the boxer at -450 to win by way of knockout or technical knockout against Tapales.  

If you intend to bet on Naoya Inoue’s next fight odds then please take the time to read through BetVictor’s Safer Gambling Page which has proven ways of staying in control when betting on boxing.

What to Expect in Inoue’s Next Fight?

These days, it’s best to prepare for fireworks when it comes to an upcoming Inoue fight. At least, over the boxer’s last six fights, he has dramatically stopped his opponent inside 12 rounds. Additionally, five of those bouts didn’t go past the eighth round. It has, in short, been a ruthless exhibition of ceaseless attack that Inoue’s opponents simply had no answer to. 

This merciless theme was evident during the 30-year-old’s last bout against Stephen Fulton on July 25th when Inoue delivered a barrage of precision punches in the eighth round that forced referee Hector Afu to get between the two men and wave off the fight. 

It was such a cold-blooded ending that Afu ended up cradling Fulton’s head in his hands as Inoue wheeled away to celebrate. It was a moment of touching humanity from a referee whose actions said in a roundabout way: “You aren’t the first and won’t be the last to be swept aside by this superhuman athlete currently punching the air in ecstasy on the top rope.”

As touched on, the unenviable task of stopping Inoue has now fallen to Tapales. Having held world titles in two weight divisions – the IBF super-bantamweight and WBO bantamweight, Tapales is certainly no stranger to the rarified atmosphere of professional boxing. At +750 to win his next fight, however, there is a strong suggestion that the step-up in class against a man of Inoue’s generational talent will prove too great.

Updated Divisional Boxing Rankings

1. Naoya Inoue: 25–0 (22 KO) – WBO, WBC

2. Marlon Tapales: 37–3 (19 KO) – WBA, IBF

3. Stephen Fulton: 21–1 (8 KO)

4. Murodjon Akhmadaliev: 11–1 (8 KO)

5. Luis Nery: 34–1 (26 KO)

6. Sam Goodman: 15–0 (7 KO)

7. Ra’eese Aleem: 20–1 (12 KO)

8. Azat Hovhannisyan: 21–4 (17 KO)

9. Elijah Pierce: 18–2 (15 KO)

10. John Riel Casimero: 33–4 (22 KO)

Bet on Naoya Inoue’s Next Fight with BetVictor CA

You can bet on Naoya Inoue’s next fight against Marlon Tapales with BetVictor. New customers can claim BetVictor’s welcome promotion to bet on this bout in Tokyo.

BetVictor has long been the home of boxing betting thanks to quick payouts, dynamic markets, and ongoing promotions. All of these features will be available when Inoue goes toe to toe with Tapales.

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