Taduran tells Collazo: Fight me

Filipino champion Pedro Taduran is not only wishing Puerto Rican star Oscar Collazo the best of luck this weekend against late replacement Neider Valdez of Mexico in their World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association minimumweight title clash Oceanside, California.

The reigning International Boxing Federation minimumweight is also praying that, if victorious against Valdez, the pound-for-pound puncher finally decides to face him in a three-belt showdown.

“I wish you the best of luck in your next fight,” Taduran told DAILY TRIBUNE on Thursday.

“But I also hope that after this, you will pick me as your next opponent,” he added.

Collazo was supposed to meet Filipino Joey Canoy this Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) at the Frontwave Arena but Canoy could not get his visa, forcing Golden Boy Promotions to look for somebody who is fit enough to take on the bold challenge.

After several calls, they found Valdez, who comes to the ring with a 15-3-3 win-loss-draw card with 12 knockouts.

However, Collazo is expected to gobble him up despite claims that he has been in training mode the past few weeks following his last fight three weeks ago which ended in a draw.

Armed with a 14-0-0 mark with 11 knockouts, Collazo hasn’t figured in a high-profile match since beating Thammanoon Niyomtrong of Thailand almost two years ago in Riyadh, Saidi Arabia.

Since then, Collazo has feasted on Edwin Cano Hernandez of Mexico, Jayson Vayson of the Philippines and Jesus Haro of the United States.

The past year or so, he had been called out not just by Taduran but by Melvin Jerusalem when he was still the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion.

South African Siyakholwa Kuse now holds the WBC 105-pound belt.

Taduran feels that Collazo has a penchant for fighting those who are either last-minute replacements or those with similar predicaments.

“It seems that he is more inclined fighting these types of guys,” he added.