Tapales, Martin figure in crucial overseas bouts

Two world-rated Filipino super-bantamweights — former unified super-bantamweight king Marlon Tapales and unbeaten Carl Jammes Martin — figure in crucial fights Saturday overseas.

The southpaw Tapales battles Indian Sauraph Kumar in a defense of his World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia title at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

A victory by Tapales should only strengthen his hold on his lofty world rating and position himself in line for a sure shot at one of the titles Japanese pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue is going to vacate when he goes up in weight next year.

He is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBC, No. 4 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 3 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

Late last year, Tapales attempted to become the Philippines’ first undisputed champion but he was knocked out by Inoue, who annexed his victim’s WBA and IBF straps.

“This fight is vital for Marlon because what’s at risk is his lofty world rating,” JC Mananquil, the fighter’s promoter, said on the eve of the fight.

“He has to keep on winning so his rating won’t go down,” added Mananquil.

Meanwhile, Martin, rated No. 6 by the IBF and No. 3 by the World Boxing Organization, faces Anthony Salas of Mexico in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

This will be the heavy-handed Martin’s first international fight as part of his agreement with Sean Gibbons of MP Promotions.

Martin uprooted his training camp in Northern Philippines a few months ago in favor of Las Vegas so he could easily be scheduled for fights.