MJ Akhmadaliev vs Mandatory Marlon Tapales May Be Next
Finally, there has been a resolution for reigning IBF and WBA unified junior featherweight champion Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev (11-0, 8 KOs) and IBF mandatory contender Marlon Tapales (36-3, 19 KOs). According to ESPN, the two camps have agreed to a deal. The agreement came hours before a scheduled January 3 purse bid at the IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey.
This will be the fourth title defense for the Akhmadaliev. He won the belts in January 2020 with a split decision victory over then-unified champ Daniel Roman.
The title reign for the 28-year-old has been defined by periods of inactivity. MJ has fought just once in 2020, twice in 2021, and once in 2022. Akhmadaliev’s last outing was a hard-fought twelfth-round TKO over then-WBA mandatory challenger Ronny Rios in June 2022. However, the high hopes predicted of him when he won the title have largely dissipated.
Next up is Tapales, who has been patiently waiting for his title shot. A one-time WBO bantamweight champion, the 30-year-old was named mandatory challenger following a second-round KO over Hiroaki Teshigawara in December 2021.
PLENTY AT STAKE FOR THE WINNER
As of this writing, a location nor a date for the battle has not been announced. Although, there’s a strong belief Akhmadaliev vs Tapales will take place at some point this Spring.
Motivation will be high for the defending champion and the mandatory challenger. MJ wants to reassert his standing in the division. He hopes a win will serve as a springboard towards a potential fight for undisputed against unified champion Stephen Fulton Jr. later this year.
RELATED: Stephen Fulton & Murodjon Akhmadaliev Need To Settle Undisputed!
After being the mandatory challenger for over a year, Tapales is on a mission to become a two-time, two-division world champion.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
