THE International Boxing Federation has ordered unbeaten IBF junior featherweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan to fight top-ranked Filipino contender Marlon Tapales in a mandatory title defense, the boxingscene.com website reported yesterday (Saturday in the US).
The handlers of Akhmadaliev, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearns, and Tapales, MP Promotions chief Sean Gibbons, were given until Feb. 22, 2022 to work out the details of the fight.
Akhmadaliev, 27, who also holds the World Boxing Association version of the belt, is undefeated in 10 fights, spiked by seven knockouts, while Tapales, 29, has a record of 35 wins (18 KOs) and three losses.
“If you (Hearns and Gibbons) are unable to come to an agreement for this bout by February 2, 2022, the IBF will call for a purse bid,” the IBF said.
Akhmadaliev has defended his championship belts twice he took in beating American Daniel Roman by split decision at the Meridian Islands Garden in Miami, Florida on Jan. 30, 2020.
A 2016 Rio Olympic Games bronze medalist, the Uzbek scored a unanimous decision win over Chilean Jose Velasquez last Nov. 19 at the SNHU Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire for his second successful title defense.
Tapales, who hails from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, earned his crack at Akmadaliev with a second-round knockout of Japan’s Hiroaki Teshigawara last Dec. 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson City, California, which the IBF held as a title eliminator.
