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IBF Could Spoil Planned Taduran-Collazo Fight By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Tue, 27 May 2025  The IBF could throw a monkey wrench into the planned unification fight between IBF minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran and WBA-WBO titlist Oscar Collazo, as reportedly being pursued by Sean Gibbons. This comes after the IBF recently ordered a final all-Filipino title eliminator between unbeaten Christian Balunan and top contender Vic Saludar as soon as possible, with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger to Taduran. The two fighters' camps were given only until June 3 to enter into an agreement, or the IBF shall conduct a purse bidding. Taduran has just defended his IBF belt with a bruising 12-round split decision win over ex-titlist Ginjiro Shigeoka in Japan, where Shigeoka was again carried out on a stretcher from the arena and reportedly rushed to a hospital after the fight. The scene was reminiscent of their first fight in July 2024, won by Taduran via a brutal 9th-round stoppage. Though a title unification fight is favored by different boxing organizations, there is no telling how the IBF will view the planned Taduran versus Collazo fight, given its uncertainty. The fact that the IBF ordered a title eliminator this soon seemed to indicate that mood. Note that since winning the title, Taduran has defended it just once, against the same Shigeoka, as his projected title defense in South Korea versus the then-Chinese mandatory challenger fell through. Balunan is an undefeated young fighter with a record of 12-0 with 7 wins by knockout, while Saludar is a veteran who has had two reigns as minimumweight world titlist. According to Jack Donovan of BoxingScene, which got the confirmation of the order from IBF: "Balunan, 12-0 (7 KOs), was also recently linked to a reported showdown with WBC junior flyweight titlist Panya Pradabsri, 44-2 (27 KOs). A recently circulated press release suggested the fight was scheduled, but BoxingScene has learned that talks are ongoing between the two camps. "Balunan pushed for an eliminator earlier this month. The 25-year-old contender from Cebu was originally instructed to enter talks with Joey Canoy, whose team declined the invitation, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. "Whether he faces Pradabsri or Saludar, the next fight for Balunan will be a desired step up in class. "Balunan has yet to fight in 2025, after a three-win 2024 campaign. None of those bouts lasted beyond the fifth round, though his most recent win – a technical decision win over Robert Paradero, 19-10-2 (13 KOs) – ended a three-fight knockout streak. "Saludar has won five in a row since back-to-back defeats to Oscar Collazo and Erick Rosa. The disputed defeat to Rosa ended his secondary WBA 'world' strawweight title reign, while a more decisive points loss to Collazo provided a setback for Saludar, a 34-year-old from Polomolok. "Collazo, 12-0 (9 KOs), has since emerged as the lineal, WBA, and WBO titleholder. "Meanwhile, Saludar has punched his way back into contention. All five victories during his current streak have ended inside the distance, including a fourth-round knockout of Roldan Sasan on February 8 in Cebu City, Philippines." The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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