King of pain

There’s one thing that could work heavily in favor of challenger Christian Balunan when he battles the game and gutsy International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran this Sunday night at the San Andres Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.

“Pain tolerance,” blurted out Balunan’s chief trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor on Thursday upon their arrival in Manila from their training camp in Bohol.

Villamor has known Balunan for years when the native of Bogo in Cebu was still an amateur.

“That’s one characteristic that I admire about him… his high level of tolerance to pain.”

Balunan needs that badly against a rival like Taduran, who has grown accustomed to inflicting an unimaginable amount of punishment to foes, including Ginjiro Shigeoka of Japan, who remains hospitalized up to this day after being dealt a brutal beating last May.

But Villamor, a two-time world title challenger, believes its Balunan’s previous experience as a sparring partner that has made him even more determined and oftentimes indifferent to pain.

“Even before he turned professional, I had seen him go up the ring and spar with top fighters,” Villamor said.

And who were the guys Balunan sparred with?

“Four world champions,” Villamor said.

They are Melvin Jerusalem, Donnie Nietes, Milan Melindo and Japanese Kosei Tanaka.

“Balunan’s determination is something else. When we are training, he goes the extra mile all the time.”

And this is the reason — apart from his vaunted pain tolerance — that makes Villamor feel upbeat about their chances of snatching the IBF 105-lb crown this weekend in the show being put up by Sean Gibbons and Cucuy Elorde.

Balunan, unbeaten with a 12-0-0 win-loss-draw card with seven knockouts, swears he feels good about his plan to rain on Taduran’s parade.

“I can beat him,” Balunan, 25, said as quoted by Villamor.

Meanwhile, Taduran, 28, brings to the ring an 18-4-1 mark with 13 knockouts and a fearsome reputation for gameness.

No wonder Taduran is the massive favorite according to oddsmakers, who believe Balunan will be in for a very rough ride come fight night.