OSAKA, Japan — Filipino champion Pedro Taduran took note of the massive change in Ginjiro Shigeoka when they came face to face during the official weighin for their International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight championship fight on Saturday at the INTEX Osaka.
“He’s not as brash as before,” Taduran told DAILY TRIBUNE after conquering the scales at 104.5 pounds during Friday’s pre-fight ritual at the Hotel Monterey Grasmere.
Though Shigeoka still showed off his cocky nature by over-flexing and putting on a game face after coming in at the division limit of 105 pounds, it was a far cry from his attitude the first time they met in July 2024 in Otsu City.
“He was very arrogant during our first fight. But this time, he’s a bit subdued,” said Taduran, who will be making the first defense of the very same titlebelt he had taken away from Shigeoka via a ninth-round knockout.
“Last time, he was walking around and taunting (Taduran),” Carl Peñalosa Jr., who trains Taduran, said, looking amused after the proceedings.
The Taduran-Shigeoka encounter will serve as a co-main event to the headlining IBF featherweight title duel starring defending champion Angelo Leo of the United States and challenger Tomoki Kameda of Japan.
The IBF has appointed Charlie Fitch of the United States as referee and Katsuhiko Nakamura of Japan, Gil Co of the Philippines and Dave Braslow of the US as judges of the Taduran-Shigeoka rematch. George Martinez of Canada is the fight supervisor.
Given the nature and fighting style of the two, the fight is not expected to go the full route.
Taduran knows the dangers of a hometown decision and is not going to waste time allowing Shigeoka to run away from close quarters combat.
“I will go after him the moment the bell sounds. We can’t afford to relax in this fight because if you do, it could backfire in the end.”
Chief trainer Carl Peñalosa has one simple instruction.
“Go after him. Put constant pressure. You shouldn’t allow Shigeoka to set up his punches. Make him work every second of every round,” said Peñalosa, who used the same tactic when Taduran mauled Shigeoka last year in Otsu City.
But Taduran, sporting a 17-4-1 win-loss-draw record with 13 knockouts, added that while he is going to be aggressive, he will do so while remaining cautious.
“Ginjiro is the strongest fighter that I have faced. I know he’s got power on both hands. I felt it for the first time.”
But Taduran, 28, feels he has him all figured out and victory will only be achieved if he stays focused and not become very careless.
As for Shigeoka, 25, vengeance can be achieved if he sticks to the gameplan.
Although he didn’t give a hint of his camp’s strategy, Shigeoka believes the key is adjustment.
“I have a lot of backup plans unlike before when I first fought him,” said Shigeoka, who totes an 11-1 mark with nine knockouts.
Reminded about his upset loss to Taduran, Shigeoka points to one thing.
“I didn’t commit any mistake the first time, it’s just that Taduran was just stronger than me (that night).”
Shigeoka was rescued from further bodily harm by American referee Steve Willis in the early goings of the ninth round, his face all puffed up and his eyes battered shut.
He had to be stretchered out of the ring en route to a nearby hospital.
If Shigeoka runs out of tricks, that could happen again.
Taduran means serious business.