Tapales returns in May, fights for regional title

MANILA, Philippines -- A few months after absorbing a knockout loss to Japanese boxing superstar Naoya Inoue, Filipino fighter Marlon Tapales is set to return to the ring as he faces former WBA Asia bantamweight champion Nattapong Jankaew next month.

Tapales and Jankaew will face each other for the WBC Asia Continental super bantamweight title on May 10 at the Midas Hotel and Casino in Pasay, according to a Facebook post by Tapales' promoter Sanman Boxing.

"The Nightmare" is currently holding a 37-4-0 win-loss-draw card in his professional boxing career.

On the other hand, his Thai opponent is currently 12-3 in 15 professional bouts.

Last December, Tapales suffered a huge knockout loss against Inoue in the biggest fight of his career.

He went down twice in the fourth round of the bout and when he hit the mat in the 10th round, he could not get up.

According to Sanman, the co-main event of the bout will be a non-title bantamweight bout between Filipino Reymart Gaballo and Mexican Kenbun Torres.