Undefeated WBC and WBO super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue gets an opportunity at undisputed status when he faces current IBF and WBA titleholder Marlon Taples on Tuesday, December 26. The fight is scheduled for 12 rounds and will take place at Ariake Arena in Japan.
How to watch Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales
Inoue-Tapales will be available to stream live on ESPN+, with main card coverage starting at 5 a.m. ET. Ringwalks for the main event are projected for 7 a.m. ET, depending on the length of the undercard.
The fight is going to be broadcast on ESPN+. Once you’ve got a valid login, you can watch the bout with WatchESPN or on the ESPN app.
Fighter history
Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) is pound-for-pound the best fighter at bantamweight, per The Ring and dominated Stephen Fulton in his super bantamweight debut back in July. “The Monster” has conquered the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF titles at 118 pounds and now has the opportunity to become a two-weight undisputed champ. The Japanese born fighter has range, speed, and power along with a 92% knockout rate. He’ll look to make Tapales his seventh-straight KO win.
Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) also has experience in both divisions, having won the WBO bantamweight title in 2016. After missing weight in his first title defense, the southpaw moved up to 122 pounds and landed an impressive second-round KO win over Hiroaki Teshigawara in December 2021. Most recently he defeated Murodjon Akhmadaliev by split decision in April, earning the IBF and WBA super bantamweight titles.
Fight odds
Inoue is the overwhelming favorite to win per Draftkings Sportsbook. He has -1800 odds to win while Tapales is a +850 underdog. The favored method of victory is Inoue by KO (-650).
Full card for Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales
- Main event: Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales, 12 rounds, for Inoue’s WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles and Tapales’ IBF and WBA super bantamweight titles
- Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Kazuki Anaguchi, 10 rounds, bantamweights
- Kanamu Sakama vs. John Paul Gabunilas, 8 rounds, flyweights
- Yoshiki Takei vs. Mario Diaz Maldonado, 8 rounds, junior featherweights
- Andy Hiraoka vs. Sebastian Diaz Maldonado, 8 rounds, junior welterweights
- Suguru Ishikawa vs. Fuga Uematsu, 4 rounds, featherweights
- Rikiya Sato vs. Keisuke Endo, 4 rounds, junior lightweights