Pedro Taduran aiming for knockout–just to be sure

Pedro Taduran and his team don’t want the fight to go the distance. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Pedro Taduran isn’t planning to let the judges have a say when he climbs back into the ring with Ginjiro Shigeoka.

The reigning International Boxing Federation mini-flyweight champion is setting his sights on a definitive finish.

READ: Pedro Taduran upsets Japan champ to reclaim IBF world title

The 28-year-old Filipino slugger is determined to repeat the outcome of their first encounter last July in Otsu, Japan, where he stunned the then-unbeaten Shigeoka with a ninth-round TKO to capture the 105-pound title.

Their rematch is set for May 24 in Osaka.

“I’ll do my best to knock him out so we can be sure of the win,” Taduran said during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

With a record of 17 wins, 4 losses and 1 draw—including 13 knockouts—Taduran isn’t taking any chances. His coach, Carl Penalosa Jr., shares the urgency.

“They want the fight to go 12 rounds now. That scares me,” he admitted. “So from the first round, we’ll be aggressive. We need a knockout to win.”

Taduran’s planned title defense against China’s Zhu DianXing in South Korea was scrapped last November, paving the way for this high-stakes rematch. Shigeoka, now 11-1 with 9 KOs, will be hungry to avenge his only loss.

Taduran, who was joined at the PSA Forum by Penalosa and manager Cucuy Elorde, will fly to Japan on May 18.