Naghahanap ng bagong challenger ang Ohashi Promotions para kay bagong WBO bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales matapos umatras sa laban ang mandatory contender na si dating OPBF super flyweight champion Takuma Inoue.
Nakatakda ang sagupaan nina Tapales at Inoue sa Disyembre 30 sa Tokyo, Japan ngunit napinsala ang kanang kamay ng Hapones kaya kinansela ang laban.
“Just two days after the press conference of his world title crack, unbeaten ex-OPBF champ, 20-year-old bright prospect Takuma Inoue, Japan, on Friday had the right hand fractured during a sparring session that pitifully caused an abrupt cancellation of his ambitious shot at the WBO bantamweight belt against Filipino southpaw Marlon Tapales in Tokyo on December 30,” ayon sa ulat ng Fightnews.com.
“Takuma, the younger brother of the WBO 115-pound titlist Naoya, was highly expected to wrest the belt to be brother world champs,” ayon sa ulat. “Ohashi Promotions is now trying to materialize the WBO title go with another Japanese challenger against Tapales by urgently contacting the WBO headquarters and Fuji Television as well.”
Ngunit, malaki ang problema ng Ohashi Promotions dahil walang Hapones na nakalista sa Top 15 ng WBO ranking maliban kay Inoue na kataka-takang nakalista rin sa WBO super flyweight ranking na totoo nitong timbang. (Gilbert Espeña)