Taduran weighs options

International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran could end up making a mandatory defense against the winner of next month’s title elimination bout between Filipino Ian Abne and Chinese Zhu Dianxing in Cebu City.

In fact, Cebu promoter Chao Sy has extended an invitation to Taduran to watch the fight set 9 May at the Cebu Coliseum.

Dianxing is rated No. 3 by the IBF while Abne is No. 4 and they are the sanctioning body’s highest ranked contenders in the 105-pound class.

Under the rules, Taduran is mandated to face the winner of the Cebu clash but that could temporarily be set aside in the event a unification fight with Puerto Rican two-belt titleholder Oscar Collazo can be made.

The undefeated Collazo holds the World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association straps and is considered among the world’s top fighters pound-for-pound.

“A unification fight supersedes a mandatory (defense),” said Taduran’s official representative Sean Gibbons of Viva Promotions.

The southpaw Taduran is fresh from scoring a seventh-round knockout of Mexican Gustavo Perez Alvarez at the Pechanga Resort Casino two weeks ago in Temecula, California.

After disposing of Alvarez, Taduran called out Collazo, who came out with a cryptic post expressing his willingness to battle Taduran.

“They don’t know what’s coming for them. I’ll say it again — it’s not the same (as) calling ‘Pupul’ (Collazo’s nickname) as seeing him in the ring. Look how I’m laughing at you,” Collazo said in his social media post.

Elorde siblings Marty and Cucuy Elorde are on the same page with Gibbons as they are also keen on seeing Taduran face off with Collazo.