TOKYO, Japan – Given another chance, Pedro Taduran shone again and clinched the International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight belt from Ginjiro Shigeoka on Sunday, July 28, at the Shiga Daihatsu Arena in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
Taduran, who returned to the throne he occupied in 2019, handed the Japanese his first loss in 12 fights via a ninth-round stoppage and improved to 17-4-1 with 13 knockouts.
The 27-year-old pride of Libon, Albay, inflicted damage on Shiegeoka’s right eye in the fourth round and targeted it throughout the aborted 12-rounder to snap the Filipinos’ string of dismal losses to Japanese rivals.
With Taduran peppering the hapless Shigeoka with punches at the ropes, the referee stopped the bout with 10 seconds left in the ninth.
Taduran thus became only the Philippines’ second reigning world champion after Melvin Jerusalem, the World Boxing Council (WBC) mini-flyweight titlist.
A lefty, Taduran avoided the fate that befell Marlon Tapales, Jonas Sultan, Jerwin Ancajas, and Vincent Astrolabio in their fights in Japan.
Taduran, fighting out of the Marty Elorde and Cucuy Elorde stable, trained long and hard under Carl Penalosa Jr. and reaped dividends as Shigeoka was heavily favored. – Rappler.com
