Valladares Suffers Upset Loss; Taduran May be Forced to Defend IBF Minimum Title Vs Fellow Pinoy
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 27 Aug 2020
Taduran.
A title rematch between reigning IBF minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran and Mexican challenger Daniel Valladares may no longer be possible after Valladares suffered an upset loss over the weekend.
Unheralded Mexican minimumweight Hugo “Chacal” Hernandez (16-5-1, 6 KOs) derailed WBC #2, WBO #4, IBF #5 rated Daniel “Cejitas” Valladares (22-2-1, 13 KOs) by ten round unanimous decision. Hernandez won by scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 98-92 at TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City.
Taduran and Valladares fought to a technical 4th round majority draw last February 1 in Guadalupe, Mexico before the Covid-19 global pandemic.
A cut over the right eye of Valladares forced an early halt to their strawweight title fight, which ended in a majority decision draw after four furious rounds of action. Valladares won 39-37 on one scorecard but it was negated by the matching scores of 38-38 even by the two other judges.
The verdict allowed Taduran to keep the then vacant IBF strawweight title he won over fellow Pinoy Samuel Salva in September last year.
It was Taduran's only second overseas appearance as he was frustrated in his earlier bid to wrest the WBC belt from Wanheng "The Real TBE" Menayothin losing by unanimous decision in Thailand.
The inconclusive ending of that abbreviated fight which had the Mexican fans on their feet for the spirited two way action while it lasted, prompted Valladares handlers to seek an immediate title rematch.
But the Covid-19 pandemic forced a halt to all boxing and sporting activities worldwide until recently.
And now the upset points defeat last weekend suffered by Valladares in what should have been a tune up fight may have endangered not only his lofty ranking buy also his chance for a title rematch against Taduran.
In the last IBF world ranking which had the first two contender slots vacant, Valladares was at number #5, the third highest behind two Filipinos, #3 Rene Mark Cuarto and #4 Melvin Jerusalem.
Three other Filipino fighters occupied the next three spots namely #6 Robert Paradero, #7 Samuel Salva and #8 Lito Dante, the reigning OPBF champion.
Valladares would be very lucky to keep his present spot but with the loss, it is held doubtful if the IBF would grant him a title rematch with Taduran given the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
While boxing has resumed in many countries including Mexico, bouts have been limited to domestic fighters except in the USA. But even in the States, travel restrictions have limited the appearance of foreign fighters to those who are already there or have been forced to stay there.
Hence, the likelihood of a Taduran-Valladares rematch in Mexico or the USA is very remote even if IBF would give the Mexican the benefit of the doubt after his last fight defeat to Chacal Hernandez.
Given the circumstances, the IBF may even oblige Taduran to defend his title against any of his highly rated fellow Filipino contenders. In which case, it would be a choice among Rene Mark Cuarto, Melvin Jerusalem, Robert Paradero, Samuel Salva and Lito Dante.
If iBF would rule such, it may be the trigger that could force the reopening of boxing in the Philippines which has been pussy footing in the face of strict Covid-19 safety protocols.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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