The only reigning Filipino world boxing champion is ready to make his fourth title defense but no top 10 contender is on the list of prospective challengers. IBF minimumweight ruler Pedro Taduran is waiting for MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons to finalize an opponent and the goal is to stage the fight in Manila or Cebu or another city in the country this October. An option is a US venue.
Initially, No. 1 contender Dianxing Zhu of China was on board to challenge Taduran and negotiations were held to set the bout in Manila or somewhere in China. Taduran is due for a mandatory defense so Zhu was first in line. But talks broke off when Zhu parted ways with his manager. “No China, Zhu left his manager and went somewhere else,” said Gibbons. “It’s a disaster.” The Zhu group had offered Taduran a purse of $70,000 to stake his crown in China. That’s not happening.
Taduran’s manager Cucuy Elorde said the champ is now training at the Elorde gym in Sucat, keeping busy while expecting a call. Apparently, none of the top 10 fighters is in the queue. “Ayaw ng Hapon at Mexicano labanan si Pedro,” said Elorde. “Ayaw din ni Sir Sean pumili ng kapwa Pilipino kaya baka yung Espanol na si Brandon Moreno ang maging challenger. Wala pang final, inaayos pa ni Sir Sean.”
Taduran wrested the IBF crown from Japanese Ginjiro Shigeoka on a ninth round stoppage in Otsu in 2024. In a rematch, Shigeoka lost on a split decision then was carried out of the ring on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital. He underwent surgery to remove a clot in his brain and will never fight again. The split verdict stunk as Taduran was clearly the winner. Japanese judge Katsuhiko Nakamura saw it 118-110 and Filipino judge Gil Co, 115-113 for Taduran while American judge Dave Braslow had it 115-113 for the badly battered Shigeoka. Taduran’s display of firepower has dissuaded No. 3 Ryusei Matsumoto, No. 5 Takeshi Ishii and No. 9 Katsuki Mori from challenging the champ. Mexico’s No. 4 Aaron de la Cruz Escobedo is another unwilling opponent as he saw Taduran dispose of countryman Gustavo Perez Alvarez in the seventh round in Temecula, California, last April. The Filipinos in the top 10 are No. 6 Christian Balunan (whom Taduran outpointed last October), No. 7 Melvin Jerusalem, No. 8 Ian Abne and No. 10 Vic Saludar. The ladder goes down to No. 11 Moreno who has never fought outside of Spain in compiling a 16-0 record, with five KOs. Moreno, 33, survived a knockdown in decisioning Raul Zabala for the vacant Spanish crown in 2023 and nine of his last 10 fights went the distance. He’s never engaged in a 12-rounder and his record shows only three tenners.
Taduran will fight anyone whom Gibbons puts in front of him but who’s not afraid to face him? Will Moreno raise his hand?
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