Taduran regains IBF world title

CEBU, Philippines — Another Filipino boxer has ascended to the throne as world champion.

This after the top-ranked challenger Pedro “Kid Pedro Heneral” Taduran from Libon, Albay pulled off a stunning ninth round stoppage of the previously unbeaten Japanese champion Ginjiro Shigeoka to clinch the International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight title on Sunday, July 28, at the Shiga Daihatsu Arena in Otsu City, Japan.

Aside from stretching his record to 17-4-1 now packed with 13KOs, Taduran also regained the IBF crown he once held for two years from 2019 to 2021.

That made Taduran the second Pinoy reigning world titlist after the Bukidnon-native Melvin “El Gringo” Jerusalem, who currently holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) version of the 105-pound belt.

For his part, Shigeoka tasted the bitterness of defeat for the first time in 12 pro fights spiked with 9KOs.