It could have been a super slambang year for Philippines professional boxing in 2025 had it been for one marquee match that ended on a split draw in Las Vegas midway through the year.
That fight in July, starring Manny Pacquiao, would have been the story of the year for Philippine sports but everything simply didn’t fall into place.
Pacquiao, seeking to add another accolade to his Hall of Fame career, was held to a draw by Mario Barrios, younger by more than 16 years, denying the famed Filipino southpaw another world crown at 46 years old.
But it wasn’t a terrible year for pro boxing as two fighters held onto their respective straps.
A pair of 105-pounders — Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran — kept Philippine boxing afloat by doing two successful defenses.
World Boxing Council champion Jerusalem Yudai Shigeoka in March in Nagoya before getting past Siyakholwa Kuse of South Africa in October during the Thrilla in Manila festivities in Manila.
Taduran, holder of the International Boxing Federation belt, mauled Ginjiro Shigeoka to a bloody pulp in May in Osaka then defeated compatriot Christian Balunan in October also in Manila.
With Jerusalem and Taduran entering 2026 as champions, hopes are high that they would be figuring in even more meaningful bouts in the next 12 months.
In fact, Taduran seems to be headed toward a collision course with the division’s recognized top dog: Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico.
Negotiations are under way to put together a clash between him and Collazo in Puerto Rico sometime in March.
The unbeaten Collazo holds the remaining two belts and it appears that he is keen on fulfilling his promise of attempting to unify all four titles and become his country’s first undisputed champion.
Apart from the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association, Collazo is also recognized as the legitimate holder of The Ring magazine belt.
Like Collazo, Taduran and Jerusalem are also eyeing to unify and become the Philippines’ first-ever undisputed titleholder, a feat not even Pacquiao had accomplished in his legendary career.
They are so enamored about becoming undisputed that Taduran and Jerusalem have expressed the desire to face each other.
Meanwhile, John Riel Casimero staged a last-ditch effort to become relevant again after losing a fight in October by whipping Tom Mizokoshi in Japan a few days before New Year’s Day.
The three-division titlist is now fighting at featherweight and is eager to be granted a world championship shot in 2026.
Another top talent — Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation bantamweight ruler Kenneth Llover — had a resounding 2025.
After snatching the OPBF 118-pound crown by blirtzing Keita Kurihara in one round in Tokyo in March, he whacked former Panamanian two-time champion Luis Concepcion in August.
Two months later, he traveled to Kyrgyzstan and took out Luciano Baldor of Argentina in four.
