Three days before the “Thrilla in Manila 2”, a boxing showdown between reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Pedro Taduran and challenger Christian Balunan happens on October 26 opening the boxing revival’s festivities at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.
Taduran is all set to defend his IBF minimumweight title against the undefeated No. 1 contender from Cebu to kick off the week’s explosive boxing extravaganza — the ‘Thrilla in Manila 2’ between World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem and South African challenger Siyakholwa Kuse at the Araneta Coliseum on October 29.
The original ‘Thrilla in Manila’ was the historic third and final heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier for the world title, also at the Big Dome.
“A world championship boxing bout will absolutely rock the nation prior to the Thrilla in Manila 2 festivities, and we will start the week with Pedro Taduran’s IBF title defense against an undefeated opponent from Cebu,” Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons said.\
“The Thrilla in Manila 2, organized by our very own Manny Pacquiao, wants a good teaser heading to that big boxing event, and Pedro, and Christian [Balunan] are all in the right place to start the explosive boxing weekend,” Gibbons added.
Taduran (18-4-1 win-loss-draw record with 13 knockouts) beat erstwhile champion Ginjiro Shigeoka last May in Japan in a rematch. His first challenger is a solid contender in Balunan (12-0 with seven knockouts).
“I am very proud to open the nation’s great boxing activities, thankful to Sir Manny Pacquiao for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the weekend boxing activity,” Taduran said. “I will prepare my best version of myself to keep the crown and entertain the crowd.”
A total of 10 competitive fights will usher in the ‘Thrilla’ countdown, headed by Taduran and Balunan, with Hong Kong’s undefeated Rex Tso (23-0 with 14 knockouts) battling Sagar Chouhan of India for the IBF vacant Pan Pacific bantamweight title.
Flyweight prospect Miel Fajardo faces compatriot Esneth Domingo for the vacant IBF Pan Pacific flyweight championship, and Lienard Sarcon squares off against Filipino Junibert Bantay as part of the boxing countdown organized by the MP Promotions and Cucuy Elorde.
Six more undercards will be announced soon by Gibbons.
At the Araneta Coliseum’s ‘Thrilla in Manila 2’, the other competing Filipino boxers are Eumir Felix Marcial, Marlon Tapales, and Carl James Martin, while the grandson of boxing great Muhammad Ali Nico Ali Walsh will also fight in the card.
More announcements will come out soon.
