Marlon Tapales pays courtesy visit to Marcos in Malacañang

Newly-crowned WBA and IBF world super bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales paid a courtesy visit to President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos, Jr. on Thursday at the Malacañan Palace.

Tapales, 37-3 with 19 knockouts as a professional boxer, defied the odds when he beat the previously undefeated Murodjon Akhmadaliev by split decision earlier this month.

Joining Tapales in the visit was his manager JC Manangquil of Sanman Boxing, WBO world minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem, and MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons.

Tapales was only one of several athletes that the Palace congratulated.

Among them was former Olympian Charly Suarez, who won regional titles with a technical knockout win over Paul Fleming last month in Australia.

—JM Siasat/JMB, GMA Integrated News