Former world champion Marlon Tapales announced his arrival at featherweight with a second‑round technical knockout of Thailand’s Nirun Baonok at UH‑FCC in Pattaya, Thailand.
Tapales proved too good and too strong for the Thai veteran, dominating from the opening bell until he sent the hometown bet crumbling to the canvas with a well‑placed right hook to the temple. Baonok fell to his knees and couldn’t get back up, prompting the referee to call off the fight at the 1:56 mark of the second round.
The win is Tapales’s first at the 126‑pound division and improves his career record to 42‑5 with 23 KOs. The loss drops Baonok’s slate to 15‑33 with 11 KOs.
A Win Is a Win for Marlon Tapales
Before demolishing Baonok, Tapales had lost his previous fight via unanimous decision to Japan’s Yukinori Oguni in Tokyo. That stunning defeat snapped the Filipino’s four‑fight winning streak and set him back in the world rankings.
Curiously, Tapales overshot the 122‑pound limit of the junior featherweight division, coming in at 123.56 pounds. The eventual loss to Oguni ultimately prompted the former world champion to move up to featherweight, ostensibly in hopes of a career reboot.
The former two‑division champ took a step in the right direction against Baonok, whom he dispatched with little trouble at all. The Thai, of course, is nowhere near the caliber of either Tapales or the fighters the Filipino has been used to facing. But, as the adage goes, a win is a win—and a fighter coming off a loss like Tapales needed it.
What’s Next for Marlon Tapales?
With his comeback fight out of the way, Marlon Tapales can now train his sights on better‑quality opposition, and there’s plenty at 126.
Fringe contenders like USA’s Albert Gonzales, Japan’s Reiya Abe, and Mexico’s Brandon Mosqueda could pose an acid test for the Filipino. Crucially, they could serve as a far better gauge as to whether Tapales can climb up the featherweight hierarchy.
But, for now, Marlon Tapales is a winner again. The hard part beckons.
