KAPWA nanalo sina WBA No. 15 featherweight Jhack Tepora at dating WBO bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales upang magtamo ng world title cracks kahapon sa Suboba Casino, San Jacinto, California sa United States.
Nagwagi sa kumbinsidong 10-round unanimous decision si Tepora laban sa Amerikanong si journeyman Jose Luis Gallegos samantalang napatigil ni Tapales si Mexican Roberto Castaneda sa 3rd round ng kanilang 10-round featherweight bout.
Dating WBA interim featherweight champion si Tepora ngunit nawala ang kanyang titulo nang mag-overweight sa depensa kay Mexican Hugo Ruiz sa undercard ng depensa ng kanyang promoter na si eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao sa Amerikanong si Adrien Broner noong nakaraang Enero 19 sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Umaasa si Tepora na aangat sa world rankings upang hamunin si WBA featherweight champion, Leo Santa Cruz ng Mexico.
“Former world champion Marlon Tapales of the Philippines scored a third round knockout over Roberto Castaneda of Mexicali, Mexico in a scheduled 10-round super bantamweight fight,” ayon sa ulat ng Fightnews.com. “Tapales offense was too much for Castaneda as referee Ray Corona stepped in to stop the fight at at 1:37 of the third.”
Kasalukuyang nakalista si Tapales na No. 4 kina WBA at IBF super bantamweight champion Daniel Roman ng US at WBO junior featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete ng Mexico kaya maaaring world title crack ang kanyang susunod na laban.
Kapwa gumanda ang rekord nina Tepora sa perpektong 23 panalo na may 17 pagwawagi sa knockouts at Tapales sa 33 panalo, 2 talo na may 16 pagwawagi sa knockouts.
-GILBERT ESPEÑA