STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART LVI: PEDRO TADURAN WINS FIRST WORLD TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN TWO FILIPINOS IN THE PHILIPPINES IN 94 YEARS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 05 Jul 2020
Pedro General Taduran Jr. was born on October 29, 1996 in Libon, Albay. Nicknamed "Kid Pedro Heneral", he is a southpaw fighter.
Taduran had an impressive professional debut beating Nathaniel Marasigan by 1st round TKO on May 16, 2015 at the Town Plaza, Moncada, Tarlac.
He scored another TKO win against Jun Inao, stopping him 1:11 in the 4th round on June 21, 2015at the Big 5 Gym, Concepcion, Tarlac.
His third win is another 1st round TKO annihilating Emmanuel Villanueva at 1:35 mark on August 8, 2015 at the Lagawe Gym, Lagawe, Ifugao.
Taduran did not stop by winning again over Rolando Prima Jr. via 2nd round TKO on September 25, 2015 in a fight at the Big 5 Gym, Tarlac City.
His string of four KOs ceased on his fifth fight. But his win over Robert Onggocan was by a six round unanimous decision on December 2, 2015 at the Highway Hills School Gymnasium, Mandaluyong City.
Taduran's KO win came back when he demolished Jun Jun Rimasog via 4th round TKO on February 12, 2016 at the Mandaluyong Sports Center, Mandaluyong City.
On his 7th pro fight, he suffered his first career defeat, a split decision loss against Joel Lino on April 1, 2016 at the Municipal Gymnasium, M'lang, Cotabato.
He made a comeback by a unanimous decision win over Kerter Jhun Pagunsan on May 25, 2016 at the Moncada Auditorium, Moncada, Tarlac.
Then "Kid Pedro Heneral" had a series of stoppages over Filipino boxers Noel Guliman by 3rd round TKO, and Dexter Dimaculangan by 5th round TKO.
He stopped Philip Luis Cuerdo by 2nd round TKO to win the vacant Philippine Boxing Federation mini flyweight title at the Moncada Auditorium, Moncada, Tarlac.
Taduran became the Philippine Games and Amusement Board mini flyweight champion when he defeated Jerry Tomogdan by 5th round KO at Barangay Aglayan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
Only Jerome Clavite went the distance by eight round unanimous decision on February 26, 2017 at the Bunch Medical Center, Victoria, Tarlac.
He suffered his second career loss at the hands of the legendary Wanheng Menayothin of Thailand by unanimous decision on August 29, 2018 at Nakhon Sawan, Thailand when he unsuccessfully challenged for the WBC mini-flyweight title.
Menayothin won his 51st professional fight and preserved his undefeated record statistically surpassing Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s very popular 50-0 unbeaten record. He used often his dreaded right hand to neutralize the aggressive Taduran, who fought outside the Philippines for the first time.
Taduran was deducted two points for connecting low blows, which increased Menayothin’s lead. The judges' scorecards were 118-108, 115-111 and 117-110.
Then he defended his GAB Philippine mini flyweight title against Jeffrey Galero by knockout at 2:38 of the 2nd round on December 8, 2018 at Santa Barbara, Pangasinan. Galero was also defeated by Menayothin for the WBC mini-flyweight championship.
Taduran stopped Samuel Salva in the 4th round to become an International Boxing Federation world minimumweight champion on September 7, 2019 at Acero Hall of Philippine Navy Base in Taguig City.
He was knocked down in the first round but recovered in the succeeding rounds. He gave Salva, of Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, his first career loss with a flurry of punishing body blows.
Running out of gas, Salva was unable to stand on his feet and had to be carried on a stretcher out of the ring.
Floored by Salva with a counter right straight in the opening round, Taduran fearlessly attacked his foe in the 2nd, 3rd and up to the 4th round when he scored a big KO.
Taduran recorded himself as winner of the first world title fight between two Filipinos in the Philippines in 94 years. In 1925 Pancho Villa defended his flyweight belt against Clever Sencio at Wallace Field, now Luneta Park.
Jerwin Ancajas and Jonas Sultan fought last year in the first all-Filipino world title clash after almost a century, battled for the IBF super flyweight title at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
Incidentally, all three judges Silvestre Abainza, Gil Co, and Carlos Costa scored it a draw 37-37, 37-37, 37-37 when the fight was stopped. Salva was deducted a point in the fourth round for headbutting Taduran.
The 12-round mandatory defense of his IBF minimumweight title against Mexico's Daniel Valladares was halted at the end of the fourth on a technical decision due to a nasty cut over the challenger’s right eye after an accidental head butt. The fight was held on February 1, 2020 at the Jardin Cerveza Expo, Guadalupe, Mexico.
One judge scored 39-37 in favor of Valladares, the hometown favorite, while the other two scored it even at 38-38, resulting in a majority draw. The cut above Valladares’ right eye opened with approximately 30 seconds remaining in the 1st round.
Taduran presently has a professional record of 14-2-1 with 11 KOs.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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