Tapales aims for rare feat

Marlon Tapales will attempt to win a title that eluded even the great Manny Pacquiao.

While a deal has yet to be signed, the camps of Tapales and Japanese Naoya Inoue are expected to come to an agreement soon for a showdown at the 55,000-capacity Tokyo Dome in early-December.

This early, interest is high given the titles that will be at stake.

Inoue just became a four-division champion when he mauled previously unbeaten Stephen Fulton in eight rounds to bag the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association super-bantamweight belts at the Ariake Arena last Tuesday.

Inoue is aiming to become undisputed by winning the remaining two other straps that, incidentally, are in the possession of Tapales, the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation ruler.

Just moments after destroying Fulton, the Japanese puncher nicknamed 'Monster' expressed deep interest in facing Tapales, who was in attendance.

The fight is almost a done deal.

"It's 90 percent," JC Mananquil, who promotes Tapales, said, adding only minor details are being ironed out.

In fact, a verbal agreement had been made even before Inoue crushed Fulton.

The deal was hatched when Tapales wrested the WBA and IBF crowns from Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan last April in San Antonio, Texas.

If victorious against Inoue, Tapales will become the first Filipino undisputed world champion, a feat Pacquiao could not pull off during his legendary career.

Pacquiao won an unprecedented eight world titles in as many weight divisions, but he never got the chance to being called undisputed.