Taduran staying cool, calm, collected

As Puerto Rican two-belt titleholder Oscar Collazo continues to dilly-dally about the choice of his next opponent, Filipino pride Pedro Taduran remains laser-focused on his Las Vegas training.

“I am not letting him affect me,” Taduran, the International Boxing Federation champion, told DAILY TRIBUNE on Monday from his camp in Sin City.

Collazo, who wears the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization crowns, has yet to issue an official statement about his next fight being eyed for March in Puerto Rico.

Despite this, the undefeated Collazo is neck-deep in training in Puerto Rico, opting to issue cryptic posts about his next fight as he intends to become his country’s first undisputed champion.

Even Melvin Jerusalem, the World Boxing Council champion and also a Collazo target, is also in training mode and eagerly awaiting word.

“I am always on red alert so that I will be ready if and when the time comes that I would be fighting him,” said Taduran, also a southpaw like Collazo.

Taduran left the Philippines for America on New Year’s Day and currently resides at Sean Gibbons’ facility in Las Vegas.

Last October, he defeated Christian Balunan on a unanimous decision to retain the title for the second time.

Previous to that, he traveled to Osaka where he mauled Ginjiro Shigeoka in May 2025.

Collazo stopped Filipino Jayson Vayson last September in Indio, California, in his last fight.