REIGNING champion Pedro Taduran will go for a knockout against Japanese challenger Ginjiro Shigeoka in their rematch for the IBF mini-flyweight crown two weeks from now.
Taduran, 28, said he’s looking to do an encore of what he did to Shigeoka in their first meeting last year at the Shiga Prefecture capital of Otsu in Japan when he pulled off a technical knockout to wrest the 105-pound title belt.
Their return bout is set in Osaka on May 24.
“Gagawin ko ‘yung best ko sa laban at gagawin ko na ma-knockout siya para sure ‘yung win natin,” Taduran said yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
A two-time world champion, Taduran was accompanied by lead trainer Carl Penalosa Jr. and manager Cucuy Elorde from the
Elorde boxing stable in the weekly public sports program backed by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app Arena Plus.
Taduran sports a 17-4-1 record, including 13 KOs, while responsible for inflicting Shigeoka’s first career loss behind that ninth-round stoppage.
Penalosa, the eldest among the famed Penalosa boxing brothers, knows the camp of Shigeoka will try this time to stretch the fight going the distance and leave everything in the judges’ hands.
“Gusto na lang nila ngayong matapos ng 12 rounds. At takot ako diyan,” he admitted. “Kaya first round pa lang, pasok na tayo agad. Knockout ang kailangan natin para manalo.”
Taduran was supposed to make his first title defense against Zhu Dianxing of China in Jeju Island, Korea last November, only for the fight to be called off.
The cancelled bout eventually led to a rematch between Taduran and Shigeoka, who carries an impressive 11- record with 9 KOs.
The champion’s camp will leave for Japan on May 18.
