Almost every fight Naoya Inoue has competed in since joining Top Rank has been a high-profile affair. He looks to become a two-division undisputed champion when he faces Marlon Tapales for undisputed super bantamweight gold on December 26. The fight airs on ESPN+ in the U.S.
Top Rank has held Inoue fights in Japan since 2021. None of the contests “The Monster” has competed in with Bob Arum in his corner have gone the distance. The 30-year-old beat Paul Butler to become the undisputed champion at bantamweight and took down Stephen Fulton in July to win super bantamweight gold.
If he beats Tapales, he becomes the fourth fighter to win undisputed gold in two divisions, joining Terence Crawford, Katie Taylor, and Claressa Shields.
Tapales is on a four-fight win streak. He beat Murodjon Akhmadaliev in April to win the IBF and WBA super bantamweight titles. The "Nightmare" has 19 wins via knockout, while Inoue has won 22 fights via the power punch. Tapales believes the fight won’t go twelve rounds, and he will hold all the gold in the end.
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales, exclusively on ESPN+
“Most likely, somebody will fall,” Tapales said to Rappler. “It’s either him or me. Inoue may be the favorite, but with my training and preparation, I think I would be able to hurdle him.”
The Sporting News will provide all you need to know about this fight, from time, channel, and card.
What time is Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales today?
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Tuesday, December 26 | 3 a.m. ET | 6 a.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Tuesday, December 26 | 12 a.m. PT | 3 a.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Tuesday, December 26 | 8 a.m. GMT | 11 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Tuesday, December 26 | 7 p.m. AEDT | 10 p.m. GMT |
How to watch Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales: TV channel, live stream
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | ESPN | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK and Ireland | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena | Sky GO |
| Australia | — | TBC |
The Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales main card will air on ESPN+ in the U.S. The undercard will air exclusively on ESPN+.
Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales price: How much does the fight cost?
You can pay $10.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $109.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $24.99/mo |
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales, exclusively on ESPN+
Naoya Inoue vs. Marlon Tapales fight card
- Naoya Inoue (c) vs. Marlon Tapales (c) for the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF super bantamweight titles
- Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Kazuki Anaguchi; Bantamweights
- Kanamu Sakama vs. John Paul Gabunilas; Flyweights
- Yoshiki Takei vs. Mario Diaz Maldonado; Super Bantamweights
- Andy Hiraoka vs. Sebastian Diaz Maldonado; Super Lightweights
- Suguru Ishikawa vs. Fuga Uematsu; Featherweights
- Rikiya Sato vs. Keisuke Endo; Super Featherweights
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