The first all-Filipino world title fight in the Philippines since Pancho Villa’s 1925 flyweight defense in Manila happens on Sept. 7 when Samuel Salva and Pedro Taduran clash for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight crown at the Philippine Marines headquarters in Taguig.
Sean Gibbons, the right-hand man of Manny Pacquiao over at MP Promotions, said on Thursday that everything is green and go for the Salva-Taduran duel.
“We are right on course,” said Gibbons, who only last Saturday staged John Riel Casimero’s defense of the interim World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title.
Salva (17-0 with 10 KOs) and Taduran (13-2 with 10 KOs) are both 22 and are game and fresh.
Salva, ranked No. 1 in the 105-lb division, earned the right to fight for the title after topping a title eliminator last March.
He was supposed to face titleholder Deejay Kriel but the South African opted to relinquish the championship rather than meet Salva.
Taduran is rated No. 4 while Mark Anthony Barriga is ranked No. 3 while the No. 2 position is vacant. Since Barriga had his title chance late last year and blew it, the IBF decided to sanction Taduran’s crack.
Next weekend’s championship match is welcome news for Philippine boxing after Vic Saludar lost his WBO minimumweight title in Puerto Rico over the weekend, trimming the number of Filipino world champions to three after Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and Jerwin Ancajas.
“This is going to be a landmark event for Philippine boxing,” said Gibbons. “Imagine witnessing history unfold when Salva and Taduran face off just like what the legendary Pancho Villa and Clever Sencio did almost a century ago.” (Nick Giongco)