All-Filipino world title fight put on hold

Talks to pit an all-Filipino world title fight starring International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight king Pedro Taduran and Ar-Ar Andales in Manila has collapsed.

Instead, Andales’ chief handler and promoter JC Mananquil is moving heaven and earth to salvage the matchup.

“I am finding another way to make it happen,” Mananquil told DAILY TRIBUNE on Monday.

But it’s back to the drawing board for Taduran and Andales as Mananquil looks for somebody willing to bankroll the mouthwatering matchup.

The readiness of the two is not a problem since they are neck-deep in training — Taduran in Parañaque and Andales in General Santos City.

Taduran was supposed to defend against Chinese Zhu Dianxing last November in Jeju Island, Korea, but the Saigon-based Korean promoter encountered financial problems in the weeks before the fight was supposed to happen.

Andales became an attractive foe for Taduran af ter his masterful win over ex-world champion Rene Mark Cuarto, a man Taduran had difficulty beating on two occasions.

As Mananquil hunts for a potential promoter, Taduran and Andales are focused on training, confident that the fight will be finalized anytime soon.