Taduran wins world crown, stops Salva in 4 rounds

MANILA, Philippines – Pedro Taduran stopped Samuel Salva in the 4th round to crown himself the International Boxing Federation minimumweight champion on Saturday, September 7, at Acero Hall of Philippine Navy in Base in Taguig City.

Recovering from a first-round knockdown, Taduran went to work in the succeeding rounds and finally handed Salva his first loss with a barrage of heavy body blows.

Winded and gasping for air, Salva was unable to rise from his corner and had to be attended to by medical personnel who stretchered him out of the venue.

The 22-year-old Taduran raised his record to 14-2 with 11 knockouts, while Salva, also 22, tasted his first defeat after 17 wins with 10 knockouts.

Desperate to turn back Taduran, Salva drew a one-point deduction from referee Danrex Tapdasan for intentional head butt in the 4th round

According to Taduran, who stands 3 inches taller than Salva at 5-foot-4, he felt another loss would end his dreams of becoming a world champion, so he poured it all.

Tagged by Salva with a counter right straight early in the bout, Taduran turned into a fierce warrior and attacked relentlessly in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds.

Last year, Taduran challenged legendary Thai Wanheng Meyanothin for the World Boxing Association 105-pound title but fell short via unanimous decision.

Taduran, pride of Libon, Albay, thus joined Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and Jerwin Ancajas in the elite roster of Filipino world champions.

For another, Taduran, now based in Valenzuela City, distinguished himself as winner of the first world title duel between two Filipinos in the Philippines in 94 years. In 1925 Pancho Villa defended his flyweight belt against Clever Sencio at Wallace Field, now Luneta Park.

Ancajas and Jonas Sultan, who figured last year in the first all-Filipino world title clash in nearly a century, battled for the flyweight belt in California.

The fight card was a joint undertaking of MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions, through its president Sean Gibbons, and Joven Sports though Joven Jimenez, chief trainer of Ancajas. – Rappler.com