ALMOST a year after their closely contested world title clash, International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion Rene Mark Cuarto and Pedro Taduran are going at it again.
Cuarto is set to defend his world title against Taduran in a rematch on Jan. 29, 2022 at the Digos Coliseum in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
Cuarto dethroned Taduran of his IBF belt by a close unanimous decision in their first match on Feb. 27, 2021 at the Bula Gym in Gen. Santos City. Cuarto did just enough to get the nod of all three judges with identical scores of 115-113.
Both fighters haven’t fought since their initial encounter.
The 25-year-old Cuarto is currently the sixth rated 105-pounder by The Ring Magazine, while Taduran is ranked No. 7. Taduran is also rated No. 4 by the IBF, No. 7 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and No. 11 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).
Cuarto is 19-2-2 with 11 knockouts, while the 25-year-old Taduran is 14-3-1 with 11 knockouts.
Curato and Taduran are among the elite minimum weights, which are stacked with talented Filipino fighters. Some of the Pinoys that are contenders in the 105-pound division are Melvin Jerusalem, Vic Saludar, Robert Paradero, Lito Dante, Marco Rementizo, ArAr Andales and Samuel Salva.