Tapales, who hails from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte scored three (3) knockdowns of previously unbeaten Japanese fighter Shohei Omori in the first round before knocking him out with a perfectly timed counter right hook in round two at the Shimazu Arena in Kyoto, Japan on Wednesday, December 16, 2015. The WBO bantamweight title eliminator was stopped at the 1:35 mark.
Tapales improved his record to (28-2, 11 knockouts) and earned him a mandatory title shot at WBO bantamweight champ Pungluang Sor Singyu (51-3, 35 KOs), who won the title in August with a second round knockout of Ryo Akoho.
The 27-year-old Sor Singyu has a long list of Filipino opponents on his record, having beaten AJ Banal, Eden Sonsona and Monico Laurente.
Sor Singyu is already scheduled to face another Filipino boxer Jetro Pabustan (26-2-6, 7 KOs) on January 15 next year. (Tsedeng) the New Ranao Star