Filipino boxing champion Marlon Tapales has formalized his challenge against Naoya Inoue, following the Japanese's eight-round stoppage of Stephen Fulton for the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles.

Tapales, who witnessed the bout from ringside in Japan, climbed the ring to congratulate the Japanese superstar and extend his challenge.

• Boxing: Tapales seeks to unify super bantamweight titles

"I want to fight Naoya Inoue. I want to prove to myself that I'm a champion," Tapales, the WBA and IBF super bantam king, said in Boxingscene. (LINK ON BOXINGSCENE https://www.boxingscene.com/inoue-keen-on-undisputed-showdown-versus-tapales-lets-this-this-year--176422)

Inoue, now a four-division boxing champion, welcomed Tapales' challenge.

“Let’s do this, this year,” responded the hard-hitting Japanese fighter.

• Boxing: Manager says chance of Tapales facing Inoue 'realistic'

It will be an undisputed showdown between the two boxing champions if the bout pushes through.

Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) won the WBA/IBF crowns by dethroning erstwhile unbeaten Murodjon Akhmadaliev via a twelve round split decision win in San Antonio, Texas.