This early, defending champion Pedro Taduran insists he knows how to deal with a Chinese challenger Dian Xing Zhu when they tear at each other on 23 November in Jeju Island, South Korea.

“He loves to get inside,” Taduran said, his left hand on Thursday after working out under the watchful eyes of his lead trainer Carl Peñalosa.

Taduran will be making the first defense of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight crown and the Filipino southpaw has began studying videos of the hard-hitting Dian.

Given the challenger’s brawling style, Taduran believes it will only make him fight even better.

“I don’t have to go after him. Very good. He’ll be right there in front of me and that is something that I like,” said Taduran, who won the IBF 105-lb belt after beating the previously unbeaten Ginjiro Shigeoka last July in Otsu City, Japan.

Even Peñalosa swears Dian’s attack mode is tailor-made for his disciplined boxer.

“He stays in front of you and he loves to brawl.”

The No. 3 rated challenger packs a 14-1 record with 12 knockouts.

Since reverting to training mode, Taduran has showed up for morning running sessions daily and early-afternoon workouts at the Elorde Sports Center where his handlers — Elorde siblings Marty and Cucuy — reside.

VSP Promotions, a Vietnam-based promotional outfit ran by Korean Sang Bum Kim, is staging the scheduled 12-rounder with the Maison Glad Jeju as targeted venue.

Assisting the Elordes in this fight is MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons.