By Rene Bonsubre,Jr Last December 30 Asianboxing reported on Pedro Taduran’s looming IBF title defense against Mexican Daniel Valladares, citing a report by WBA award winning journalist Julius Julianis. The 23 year old Taduran(14-2,11KO’s) is currently one of the four reigning world titleholders from the Philippines. He won the vacant IBF world minimumweight title against Samuel Salva last September in Taguig City. This was the third all-Filipino world title fight for the past two years and the first one held in the Philippines since 1925. Taduran’s manager Art Monis told this writer that there are still contractual issues that need to be ironed out. He is aware of the news report of the February 1 fight date. He has however, signed and agreed to the defense in Mexico but awaits confirmation from the Mexican side. As of this writing, there is no update on boxrec regarding the February date and exact venue of the fight. Taduran himself told this writer that he is preparing for his upcoming defense. Taduran, who sports the moniker “Heneral” or General turned pro in 2015. After six wins, he lost a split decision to Joel Lino, who at that point in time had a 2-0 record. Lino currently holds the Philippine (GAB) minimumweight title. Taduran’ second career loss was in a WBC world title fight in 2018, to Thai Chayaphon Moonsri, by unanimous decision in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. In the title win against Salva, he came back from a first round knockdown and bombed Salva in rounds three and four. A drained Salva chose not to answer the bell for the fifth. Valladares, whose ring moniker “Cejitas” means eyebrows, sports a record of 22-1,13KO’s. His lone career loss was to Genaro Rios in 2016 by majority decision. He had previously beaten Rios by split verdict. Valladares also previously held the WBC Silver light flyweight title. His biggest career win was against the previously undefeated Filipino contender Christian Araneta in an IBF light flyweight eliminator last September in Monterrey, Mexico. It was action packed fight with both boxers taking turns landing harsh shots to the jaw. This fight showed Valladares can take a punch, considering Araneta’s 82 percent KO rate. Araneta, however, decided not to continue fighting due to a right shoulder injury, going into the fourth. This was a recurrence of an old injury which had him sidelined in 2017. The video bout also showed Valladares’ defensive flaws which Team Taduran will be sure to review. Valladares earned the number one spot in the 108 lb division of the IBF but will be going down to 105 lbs to challenge Taduran. Valladares also owns a seventh round TKO win against another Filipino,former WBO world miniflyweight champion Merlito Sabillo. It will be hard for a Filipino world champion to defend his title in Mexico but it has been done before. In 1996, Luisito Espinosa defended his WBC Featherweight title against Mexican Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez by fourth round knockout in Guadalajara,Jalisco, Mexico. This was Espinosa’s finest hour; returning to the same venue where Gonzalez stopped him in two rounds three years earlier. Donnie Nietes set the gold standard having defended his WBO minimumweight title thrice on Mexican soil against Erik Ramirez (UD12 2009), Manuel Vargas (SD12 2009) and Mario Rodriguez (UD12 2010). John Riel Casimero defended his IBF light flyweight title by split decision against Pedro Guevara in 2012. Jerwin Ancajas has a successful defense in Mexico last year but it was against a Chilean challenger. The likes of Florante Condes, Rodel Mayol and Merlito Sabillo lost their world title belts in Mexico. File photo- Pedro Taduran in Thailand 2018
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