Tapales’ ring return cancelled

Former world champion Marlon Tapales’ ring return may have to wait a little bit longer after his fight was cancelled just a few days before fight night.

Tapales arrived with his coach Fernando Ocon and teammate Neil John Tabanao in Bendigo, Australia last Monday and was informed that Rivo Rengkung is unable to make the trip because of a problem with his visa.

Tapales, the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion, will face Rengkung on a later date in a different location.

“It’s cancelled,” Rex Wakee Salud (RWS) International matchmaker Willy Flores told SunStar Cebu. “They will be fighting in mid April in Thailand.” Tapales versus Rengkung was supposed to headline the “Night of the Dragons” show at the Bendigo Exhibition Center this Saturday.

Tapales’ last fight was back in April last year. He knocked out Shohei Omori in 11 rounds in Osaka.

Tapales will have a different role on Saturday. He’ll be working in Tabanao’s corner along with Ocon, who’ll be the main cornerman.

Tabanao is fighting for the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Asia-Pacific featherweight belt against Thai Rachan Yageow.

Tabanao, the former WBO Oriental featherweight titleholder, is coming off a first round stoppage of JP Macadumpis after suffering three straight defeats before that.

Yageow, in the meantime, has won three in a row but hasn’t fought since 2014.