TADURAN REMAINS ONE OF THE FOUR PINOY WORLD CHAMPIONS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 03 Feb 2020
Taduran (L) and Valladares (R) fought to a 4-round technical draw in Mexico on Saturday.
Pedro Taduran Jr. was able to defend his International Boxing Federation world minimumweight title when he fought Mexican Daniel Valladares to a technical draw at the Jardin de Cerveza Expo in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico Saturday night. According to Boxingscene.com both fighters "managed to produce a Fight of the Year contender in their condensed slugfest." But the championship fight failed to produce a winner.
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After four rounds of nonstop action the judges decided it as a majority draw with one judge scoring it 39-37 in favor of Valledares while the other two prevailed with identical scores of 38-38 even. The verdict makes Taduran from Libon, Albay retain his WBO minimumweight title.
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Taduran a. k. a "Kid Pedro Heneral" defended his world title successfully for the first time. He won the title last September 2019, when he beat compatriot Samuel Salva in Taguig. The 23-year old Filipino improved his boxing career record to 14-2-1 with 11 KOs (64.71% KO rate). The two losses were dealt by Chayaphon Moonsri a. k. a. known as Wanheng Menayothin of Thailand by unanimous decision for the WBC minimum weight title in 2018 and by countryman Joel Lino by split decision in 2016.
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Both fighters accidentally clashed their heads which opened up the cut above Valladares' right eye in the exciting first round that saw both fighters exchange several flurry of punches. The Filipino southpaw made the cut a constant target in the next three rounds. The ringside doctor then examined the cut and declared it was too dangerous for the Mexican challenger to continue fighting. The judges' scorecards were read and the fight was declared a technical draw. Valladares' professional record now is at 22-1-1 with 13 KOs (54.17% KO rate).
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The hometown crowd cheered wildly during the entrance of Valladares who hails from neighboring Monterrey, while Taduran was conspicuously booed by the hostile fans. The cut above Valladares’ right eye opened when their heads clashed approximately 30 seconds remaining in the first round.
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“We would love to defend the title in the Philippines, or [be] happy to give DV a rematch when he is ready and healed,” said MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons as quoted by The Ring. “He deserves it.” Art Monis, Taduran's manager, is amenable to a rematch, but believes it shouldn’t happen again in Mexico.
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Taduran remains one of four current world titleholders from the Philippines, which includes WBA welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and WBO bantamweight champion John Riel Casimero.
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Valladares entered the fight rated no. 1 by the IBF at the light flyweight division (108 pounds), and was immediately declared the mandatory challenger even if he was fighting at the minimumweight (105 pounds) category for the first time. He had previously scored knockout wins over Filipino fighters Christian Araneta by 4th round TKO and former world champion Merlito Sabillo by 7th round TKO both in 2019.
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Taduran has fought only two foreigners. Aside from Valladares, he fought and was beaten by Wanheng Menayothin, the popular undefeated Thai world champion who has a better record than Floyd Mayweather Jr. at 54-0-0 with 18 KOs.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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