Brothers on warpath
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 19 Feb 2025
Beware! The avenging Shigeoka brothers are on the comeback trail with their sights set on regaining the world boxing championships they lost to two Filipinos last year. Yudai Shigeoka, 27, will be the first to attempt a resurrection and takes on WBC minimumweight titlist Melvin Jerusalem at the Sky Expo in Nagoya on March 30. Then, Ginjiro Shigeoka, 25, battles two-time IBF minimumweight beltholder Pedro Taduran in Osaka on May 24.
The Shigeokas will be fighting on home soil so it’s added pressure on Jerusalem and Taduran to outdo themselves on hostile ground. Last year, Jerusalem floored Yudai in the third and sixth rounds but was lucky to escape with a win on a split decision in Osaka. The lineup of judges is critical in the rematch. Jerusalem, 30, will need total domination to turn back Yudai. Experience is on Jerusalem’s side with 26 bouts under his belt compared to 10 for Yudai who turned pro in 2021, seven years after the Filipino’s debut.
Taduran, 28, was booked to stake his crown against China’s Dian Xing Zhu in Jeju Island, South Korea, last Nov. 23 but promoter Sang Bum Kim pulled the plug two weeks before the match due to lack of funding. A proposed defense against countryman Ar Ar Andales was aborted, leading to the rematch with Ginjiro whom Taduran dethroned on a ninth round stoppage in May last year. Ginjiro victimized Filipinos Jake Amparo, Rene Mark Cuarto, Rey Loreto, Clyde Azarcon and Joey Lino before running into Taduran who dealt his first loss. Ginjiro’s record is 11-1, with nine KOs compared to Taduran’s 17-4-1, with 13 KOs.
Taduran was recently nominated in two categories at the Ring Magazine Awards Night in the Old Royal Navy College, London. He was one of six nominees for Comeback of the Year and Upset of the Year. Taduran was cited for trouncing Ginjiro and regaining the IBF title which he had lost three years before. However, he wasn’t picked for either award. Bruno Surace’s sixth round knockout win over Jaime Munguia was the Upset of the Year and Australian cancer survivor Billy Dib took the Comeback honors for ending a two-year layoff to beat Atilla Kayabasi in Germany at the age of 39.
Yudai, a southpaw like Ginjiro, declined a spot on the Japanese team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics despite an 82-10 amateur record with 20 KOs to turn pro. After bowing to Jerusalem, Yudai came back to outpoint Samuel Salva, his third Filipino victim after Lito Dante and Cris Ganoza. Ginjiro also had a glowing amateur career, posting a 56-1 record with 17 KOs and his only loss was to Yudai.
Jerusalem is making the second defense of his throne after repulsing Mexican challenger Luis Castillo last September. Like Taduran, he’s a two-time world champion, having won the WBO version on a second round disposal of Masataka Taniguchi in 2023. He’s undefeated in two assignments in Japan. Taduran is unbeaten in one fight in Japan. MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said he’s confident Jerusalem and Taduran will return home with their straps intact. “They’ll pull through,” said Gibbons. “They’ve got their numbers. The Shigeokas are nice guys but I see our Filipino brothers winning.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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