Manny Pacquiao is truly committed to help Filipino boxers.
Case in point is Pedro Taduran, the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight titlist whose defense against Chinese knockout artist Zhu Dianxing in Jeju, Korea, was canceled owing to sponsorship woes encountered by a Vietnam-based promotional outfit.
After staging its first world title fight last September, Pacquiao’s boxing arm — Blow-By-Blow — is looking at promoting Taduran’s showdown with Zhu in the first quarter of 2025.
Blow-By-Blow executive Len Tomas told DAILY TRIBUNE that Pacquiao has promised to discuss the matter with the television show’s top officials when he arrives from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Holding Taduran’s IBF title defense is tops on the agenda of Blow-By-Blow, headed by one of Pacquiao’s most trusted people in Marife Barrera, who presided over Melvin Jerusalem’s mandatory defense of the World Boxing Council minimumweight championships, the only world title fight held in the country this year.
Taduran was scheduled to battle Zhu last 23 November but his Korean promoter was forced to scrap the fight just three weeks before the scheduled bout, leaving the Filipino champion sad and disappointed.
However, Taduran’s eyes lit up when told about the prospects of defending his title at home with Blow-By-Blow leading the way.
In fact, the Bicol-born banger was in attendance when Blow-By-Blow held another show in bago Bantay, Quezon City, last night.
Taduran and Jerusalem are the Philippines’ only reigning world champions.
They also have close ties with American dealmaker Sean Gibbon, who runs the Pacquiao-owned MP Promotions.
Siblings Marty and Cucuy Elorde manage Taduran while JC Mananquil and his Japanese partners from Nagoya represent Jerusalem, who hails from Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon.