Taconing takes next step towards title shot at Elorde Awards

Jm Siasat

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Filipino contender Jonathan Taconing has put the memories of his unlucky first title opportunity behind him and takes the next step towards a second shot on Tuesday night

ON A MISSION. Filipino junior flyweight contender Jonathan Taconing hits the speed bag at the Elorde Boxing Gym in Paranaque City. Taconing takes his next step towards a second title shot on Tuesday, March 25 when he fights Vergilio Silvano at the Elorde Awards. Photo by JM Siasat/Rappler

PARANAQUE, Philippines- Losing a fight can have a variety of effects on a fighter. Defeat for many fighters can be a tough pill to swallow. Most fighters never get a shot at a title, and for the losing boxer, there is no guarantee that they’ll ever get a second opportunity.

For Jonathan Taconing (17-2-1, 14 knockouts), losing his bid for the world title is a thing of the past. He says he carries none of the burden from his controversial defeat against Kompayak Porpramook in his vie for the WBC world junior flyweight championship.

The twelve-round bout in Thailand came to a premature halt in the fifth round due to a Porpramook cut caused by a clash of heads. As per the rules, the fight went to the scorecards with the Thai emerging victorious, though it appeared that Taconing had gotten the better of the action in the abbreviated fight.

Two years after, Taconing is slated to slug it out against fellow Filipino and former strawweight title contender Vergilio Silvano (18-3-1, 10 KOs) for the OPBF light flyweight title on March 25, at the Elorde Awards Night in Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City, Philippines.

The 27-year-old Zamboanga del Norte native is now on a streak of five knockout wins since that night in 2012.

Taconing, who had in the past expressed his desire to move up in weight, had been duly notified of this title bout on February 25 and has since then tallied a total of 89 sparring rounds. Though the time for his preparation seems short, he stays in shape year-round, sweating it out at the Elorde Boxing Gym in Sucat, Paranaque on a daily basis. “(Taconing) works hard and is much focused when a fight is coming up,” said his trainer Eddie Ballaran, who showed no signs of concern over taking the fight on one month notice. 

“We’ve used the same training program/regimen for this fight,” said the left-handed Taconing. “I’m happy for this chance to fight for a title.”

Beginnings 

Taconing started to box at the age of 14, fighting a total of 30 amateur bouts that were staged mostly at barangay fiestas. “I’d get paid 500php ($12) for 3 rounds of work as an amateur in fiestas,” Taconing recalls. It was only after seeing Manny Pacquiao beat Fahsan 3K Battery in 2004 that Taconing felt the inspiration to turn pro. At age 19, Taconing traveled to Manila and since then has been aligned with promoter/manager Johnny Elorde, the son of boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.

Being an upstart pro boxer in the Philippines can be financially challenging, and for that reason, Taconing was also given a part-time job as a gate guard during weekends, earning him 200php ($5) per day.

Seven years and 20 fights after, Taconing will find himself yet again inside the squared circle, battling for another title. “My opponent is good,” says Taconing. “I think neither of us will back off because we are both hungry to win.”

Should everything go according to plan, Taconing would like another shot at the WBC world junior flyweight title, which is currently held by Mexico’s Adrian Hernandez. Taconing remains the third-ranked contender to the title.

“I’ve been long waiting for another world title fight, I always tell that to my manager. That is what I want”.

When asked what his chances are if a fight with Hernandez were to get made, his answer was just as straight forward as his fighting style. “I will knock him out.” – Rappler.com

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