International Boxing Federation (IBF) world minimumweight champion Pedro Taduran received a warm welcome at the Senate of the Philippines, where he was honored for his successful title defense last month. Known as “Kid Heneral,” Taduran retained his IBF belt by defeating rival Ginjiro Shigeoka in a challenging rematch on May 24 in Osaka, Japan.
On Wednesday, the Senate adopted a resolution recognizing the 27-year-old for his outstanding performance and resilience in the ring. The resolution stated, “Taduran’s victory has demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest level, further establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the boxing ring. His win did not only showcase his skill and talent, but also highlighted his potential to become a formidable force in the sport of boxing for many years to come.”
Taduran was accompanied by his manager, Cucuy Elorde, son of Filipino boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde. The Libon, Albay native showcased his grit in a hard-fought split decision victory (118-110, 115-113, and 113-115) against Shigeoka, improving his professional record to 18-4-1, with 13 knockouts.
Following his victory, Taduran is now pursuing a unification bout against World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization titleholder Oscar Collazo of Puerto Rico.