By REYNALD MAGALLON
International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran has landed in the US to begin his training for a potential unification bout against Puerto Rican Oscar Collazo.
On a social medial post by Viva Promotions, Taduran is already in the US as his team tries to work on the negotiations for the huge fight against Collazo who holds both the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) crowns.
Though nothing is cast in stone yet, Taduran will be spending time in training in Las Vegas with the hope of setting up the fight possibly in March in Collazo’s home turf.
Taduran’s camp, however, doesn’t see any reason for the fight to not push through, especially since the Puerto Rican champion has been vocal about unifying all the belts in the 105-pound division.
The World Boxing Council (WBC) version of the belt is being held by another Filipino Melvin Jerusalem, who could be the potential next opponent of the winner of the bout.
Though Taduran has shown firepower as evident in his victories over Ginjiro Shigeoka twice and compatriot Christian Balunan, he should take Collazo very seriously.
For one, Collazo seems comfortable fighting against Filipino boxers having beaten quite a few in Vic Saludar, Jayson Vayson and even Jerusalem himself.
But the Puerto Rican, undefeated in 13 fights and was recently named to The Rings’s pound-for-pound list, looked far from being invincible in his last fight against Vayson.
Collazo was being hit and at times getting hurt by Vayson before the corner of the Filipino decided to stop the fight in Round 7.
