The Boxing Taduran Brothers

Now that the election dust has settled and the controversy surrounding Navarrete-Suarez hangs in the balance, let us turn our attention to the forthcoming title defense of Pedro Taduran Jr.

Pedro Taduran Jr. initially dreamed of becoming a soldier. However, his elder brother Joel persuaded him to pursue a different path—to become a professional boxer, just like him. Joel Taduran made his professional boxing debut in 2013 and concluded his career in March 2023. After retiring from the ring, he moved to Macau where he trained top-tier Asian fighters and worked at the Macau Boxing House, a gym known for preparing elite boxers for prestigious competitions across Asia. Despite his success abroad, Joel returned to the Philippines to support his younger brother, Pedro Jr., who is currently the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) mini-flyweight world champion.

On Saturday, May 24, in Osaka, Pedro Jr. will defend his title in a highly anticipated rematch against Japan’s Ginjiro Shigeoka. At 28 years old, Pedro aims to repeat his previous triumph over Shigeoka, whom he defeated via ninth-round technical knockout last year.

Meanwhile, their brother Jorge is also making waves as a boxing coach. He is currently preparing athletes for the 65th Palarong Pambansa, which will commence on May 24 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Among the young amateur boxers representing their region are 16-year-olds Jhan Jay Papa and Prince Gian Abogado.

Boxing runs deep in the Taduran bloodline. Their brother Joseph, a former amateur boxer, played a pivotal role in inspiring all three—Pedro, Joel, and Jorge—to pursue the sport. All four brothers have laced up gloves and stepped into the ring at some point in their lives. When asked via Messenger about the importance of Pedro's upcoming title defense, Joel replied, “This fight is extremely important to protect the title and to open doors for a unification bout. If fortune smiles on us again, an undisputed championship may be within reach.” Joel added that this fight is dedicated to the Filipino people, as well as to Pedro's manager, Madam Cucuy Elorde—the youngest daughter of the legendary Gabriel “Flash” Elorde—and head coach Carl Peñalosa.

Both Joel and Pedro Jr. were discovered and developed by the legendary promoter Art Monis. They began their careers as four-round fighters. However, it was Cucuy Elorde who gave the upcoming champion the opportunity to work in the United States. That path eventually led Pedro Jr. to a world title eliminator against Jake Amparo, ultimately making him a permanent fixture in the Elorde Boxing Stable.

Joel holds no resentment about his younger brother's rise to fame. Having officially retired from active competition, he now devotes all his time and energy to guiding Pedro Jr.’s boxing career. After all, it was Joel who introduced him to the sport in the first place.

++++

(Photo courtesy of Joel Taduran)