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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Boxing devider Pedro Taduran to star in 'Thrilla' countdown event

Pedro Taduran to star in 'Thrilla' countdown event

Published Sep 16, 2025 01:53 pm

At A Glance

  • International Boxing Federation (IBF) world mini flyweight champion Pedro Taduran is set to defend his crown against fellow Filipino Christian Balunan from Cebu in the Thrilla in Manila countdown event at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila on Oct. 26.
International Boxing Federation (IBF) world mini flyweight champion Pedro Taduran is set to defend his crown against fellow Filipino Christian Balunan from Cebu in the Thrilla in Manila countdown event at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila on Oct. 26.
Starring at his own event that is set to roll out the red carpet to the 50th anniversary celebration of the legendary battle of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the Taduran-Balunan fight is expected to be a banger with the champion naturally coming in as the heavy favorite against the undefeated contender from Cebu.
The Thrilla in Manila 2, organized by the MP Promotions and Blow-by-Blow led by Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao, is set three days later on Oct. 29 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
World Boxing Council minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem is set to defend his own belt against South Africa's Siyakholwa Kuse in the main event while former world champion Marlon Tapales, top Filipino prospects like Eumir Marcial, Carl Jammes Martin and Emman Bacosa are also set to appear in the undercard.
Taduran is coming into the bout brimming with confidence after repeating over former Japanese world champion Ginjiro Shigeoka via a convincing unanimous decision victory last May in Osaka, Japan.
The pride of Albay, who is sporting an 18-4-1 record with 13 knockouts, displayed his firepower in the last fight that had the Japanese collapsing on the ring at the end of the fight, and later on requiring a brain surgery to address a bleeding on his brain.
But Balunan, who is taller by two inches against Taduran at 5-foot-6, is far from being fazed especially with his pristine 12-0 record.
He is ranked third in the IBF mini flyweight rankings while no.12 in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) ladder.
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