Pedro Taduran strikes a pose with Lucas Biendima — one of two sparring partners — helping him get in shape for his first defense of the IBF minimumweight crown next month in Jeju, Korea. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF LUCAS BIENDIMA
BOXING

Taduran remains in training mode

Nick V. Quijano Jr.

Pedro Taduran’s first defense of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight crown against Chinese power-puncher Zhu Dianxing won’t proceed as scheduled on 23 November in Jeju Island, Korea.

DAILY TRIBUNE has gathered that there’s a possibility that the fight might even take place somewhere else with Seoul as one of the cities being targeted to host the 12-rounder.

Taduran was discouraged by the news but he vowed to keep on training in case Cocky Buffalo Promotions, the Vietnam-based Korean promotional outfit, remedies the problem.

The Filipino southpaw has been training diligently at the Elorde Sports Center the last two and a half months under head trainer Carl Peñalosa Jr.

The Korean promoter is heading to Vietman in an effort to iron out the kinks, according to industry sources.

Taduran had won the IBF 105-lb belt last July when he stopped erstwhile unbeaten Ginjiro Shigeoka in Otsu City.