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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Boxing devider Taduran too much for Balunan, retains IBF title

Taduran too much for Balunan, retains IBF title

Published Oct 26, 2025 10:28 pm

At A Glance

  • Pedro Taduran Jr. proved to be a class of his own and obliterated mandatory challenger Christian Balunan to retain his IBF minimumweight title in the main-event 12-round bout of the Thrilla in Manila II Countdown at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila Sunday, Oct. 26.
Pedro Taduran Jr. stamps class to defend his IBF minimumweight belt against Christian Balunan. (Wendell Alinea)
Pedro Taduran Jr. stamps class to defend his IBF minimumweight belt against Christian Balunan. (Wendell Alinea)
Too fast, too furious.
Pedro Taduran Jr. proved to be a class of his own and obliterated mandatory challenger Christian Balunan to retain his IBF minimumweight title in the main-event 12-round bout of the Thrilla in Manila II Countdown at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila Sunday, Oct. 26.
Taduran dazzled from start to finish and gave his rival his first taste of defeat, with the three judges scoring the bout 118-110, 118-110, 117-111.
The rousing performance of the Albay native improved his win-loss-draw record to 19-4-1 (13KOs), while Balunan from Cebu dropped to 12-1-0 with 7 KOs.
“Magaling din si Balunan tsaka matibay din… gusto nya ring ipanalo, pero kahit ako kahit ganun mangyari ‘di ko parin pinapabayaan ‘yong sarili ko na ako ‘yong malamangan,” said Taduran moments after their 12-round title match.
“Nasaktan din ako sa mga body [punches] nya, malakas din… nakakalamang sya sa reach [pero] inaral namin sa ensayo ‘yon na i-pressure sya,” he added.
Taduran is now gunning for a unification duel against Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo, who currently holds the WBA, WBO, and The Ring Magazine minimumweight belts, in the upcoming months.
If not, the 28-year-old southpaw is open to the possibility of facing fellow champion Melvin Jerusalem, the WBC minimumweight king.
Fighting on Philippine soil after almost two years, Taduran was cautious in the opening round before he found the right rhythm and launched his attack with Balunan having a bloodied right eye due to accidental a head butt.
Taduran scored a knockdown in the eighth round but the latter recovered and was able to finish the bout despite the repeated attacks from the reigning champion.
Meanwhile in the co-main event, Miel Fajardo bucked a slow start before outlasting Esneth Domingo to clinch the vacant IBF Pan Pacific flyweight belt via unanimous decision in their 10-round clash.
Earlier, the match between Hong Kong’s Rex Tso and India’s Sagar Chouhan was ruled as no-contest after an inadvertent head collision between the two foreign pugs in the fourth round.

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