The Super Bantamweight division is poised to reach its pinnacle in the modern era with the highly-anticipated bout between Naoya Inoue and Stephen Fulton, followed by the aftermath of that fight. The WBA has revealed that the winner of this matchup will face the recently-crowned unified champion, Marlon Tapales, to set up an undisputed fight.
This announcement comes in response to a request made by Filipino champion Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19 KO’s) himself, expressing his desire to fight the winner between Naoya Inoue (24-0, 21 KO’s) and Stephen Fulton (21-0, 8 KO’s). Tapales last fought on April 8th, where he secured both the WBA and IBF Super Bantamweight world titles by defeating the then-titleholder, Uzbeki fighter Murodjon Akhmadaliev (11-1, 8 KO’s).
The clash between Naoya Inoue and Stephen Fulton is scheduled to take place on July 25th, in a high-stakes match that puts their unbeaten records on the line. Stephen Fulton currently holds the unified WBC and WBO Super Bantamweight titles but faces a formidable opponent in former undisputed Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
Inoue’s achievements in the sport have already established him as a legend in Japan and earned him a place on the pound-for-pound rankings. Despite entering the match without a belt, Inoue is considered the favorite. A victory over Fulton, himself a pound-for-pound contender, could propel the Japanese superstar to the top of various pound-for-pound rankings, solidifying his status as the best fighter in the world.
For Stephen Fulton, whose career has seen pivotal victories in his division go largely unnoticed, this stage presents an opportunity to further his standing. Having competed in the Super Bantamweight division for the majority of his career, the American champion faces steep odds as he is pitted against Inoue in the Japanese fighter’s home country. However, a triumph over Inoue would secure his place among the world’s best fighters, bringing with it all the recognition and rewards that accompany such a status.
Regardless of who emerges as the winner between Fulton and Inoue, Marlon Tapales will confront one of the finest fighters in the lower weight divisions, and it is highly likely that he will be considered the underdog in that matchup.
Meanwhile, there has already been a clamor for the mandatory position, prompting the WBA to additionally order Murodjon Akhmadaliev to face Tomoki Kameda (40-3, 22 KO’s) to determine the next challenger for the winner between Fulton and Inoue. Following the resolution of that bout, the victor will face Marlon Tapales to decide the undisputed champion. The opportunity to become undisputed will then be granted to either Akhmadaliev or Kameda.
