Pedro Taduran retains IBF title, hands Brandon Moreno first career loss

Pedro Taduran successfully defended his IBF minimumweight world championship after outworking Brandon Moreno for a unanimous-decision victory in their 12-round bout Sunday morning (Philippine time) at the Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The fighting pride of Libon, Albay preserved his status as the lone Filipino world champion in boxing, handing the Spaniard the first defeat of his professional career.

Taduran dictated the pace from the opening bell, relentlessly pressing forward and unleashing combinations to keep the challenger on the back foot. Moreno managed to stay competitive, landing clean punches of his own during their exchanges. However, the champion gradually found his rhythm and overwhelmed his opponent.

Moreno attempted to keep his distance in the championship rounds, but Taduran continued to hunt him down until the final bell. The champion’s aggression left little doubt that he’d done enough to protect his throne.

All three judges scored the contest in favor of the Filipino southpaw, with one judge giving Taduran a perfect 120-108 scorecard, while the other two had it 115-113.

The victory boosted Taduran's professional record to 21-4-1, marking his fourth successful title defense in a row.

Moreno, meanwhile, saw his unbeaten run come to an end as he dropped to 16-1.

—JKC, GMA News