AS much as possible, a quick knockout win to avoid any complications.
This will be the basic game plan of reigning International Boxing Federation minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran in his rematch with Japanese Ginjero Shigeoka on May 24 at a still-to-be-named venue in Japan.
A heavy underdog, the pint-sized Pinoy slugger known by his moniker “Kid Pedro Heneral,” wrested the title from Shigeoka with a ninth-round technical knockout triumph in the ninth round on July 28, 2024, at the Shiga Daihatsu Arena in Otsu, Japan.
The slugfest between the two southpaws resulted in the erstwhile Japanese champ suffering an orbital fracture in his right eye, which was shut for most of the fight, and had to be brought off the ring in a stretcher and straight to the hospital, according to news reports.
Given the stakes involved and Shigeoka’s hometown edge—he suffered his only loss in 11 fights, spiked by nine knockouts—Taduran is eager to duplicate his stoppage win in what promises to be another action-packed clash.
“Mas maganda kung mana-knockout kasi kung umabot ng decision delikado tayo. Kasi sa huling laban nung round six naiisip ko baka talunin niya ako kaya dapat ko siyang ma-knockdown. Buti na-TKO ko siya sa ninth round,” he said.
Taduran, 28, who sports a record of 17 wins, 13 by knockout, four wins and one draw, was supposed to make his first title defense last November in Jeju, South Korea, against Chinese contender Zhu Dianxing, but the fight was scrapped when the South Korean promoter failed to come up with the money.
Taduran is now managed by Cucuy Elorde, the youngest child of the late boxing great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde and Laura, whose late father was celebrated international promoter Lope Sarreal Sr., who also went into ring promotions in the eighties and nineties.
The youngest of the Elorde siblings has followed in her mother’s footsteps and is also a licensed manager and promoter.
Once a protégé of former world light flyweight champion turned coach Tacy Macalos, the Libon, Albay pride returned to light training this week at the Elorde Sports Center in Parañaque under trainer Carl Peñalosa, the younger brother of former world titleholders Dodie Boy and Gerry Peñalosa.
Unlike some boxers anxious about prolonged layoffs, Taduran, who now lives in nearby Cabuyao, Laguna with Bicolana wife Mary Joy, a public school teacher, and whose only child McGavin turned two yesterday, doesn’t mind the wait.
“Handa talaga po ako dun sa laban sa South Korea, sayang, pero ganun talaga. Hindi pa po siguro panahon lumaban,” the boxer said. “Basta ang aking mindset is maghanda sa lubos ng aking makakaya sa anumang labang haharapin.”
Once he and his trainer pick up their training early next month, Taduran said the focus would be on increasing his power and improving his footwork to move out of harm’s way of his foe, whom he acknowledged hurt him with a right hook to the face in the fourth round of their initial encounter.
“Nasaktan din ako sa suntok na ‘yun pero hindi lang ako nag-pahalata at sumugod imbes na umurong ng matamaan,” he recalled, adding that his rival also has a mean left uppercut that could hurt if one was not too careful.
As part of his build-up, Taduran said his trainer has tapped fellow lefty Arvin Magramo, a light flyweight and also a member of the Elorde stable, to prepare for the Japanese in the fight that is being arranged by veteran promoter and MP Promotions chief Sean Gibbons.
Having savored the perks and privilege of being a world champ, he vowed to overcome Shigeoka and the expected hostile Japanese crowd next month anew, saying: “Gusto kong maging mahaba ang pagiging champion ko at ibubuhos ko ang aking lahat para manatili sa aking ang korona.”
