Pedro Taduran retained his International Boxing Federation minimumweight title on Saturday following a hard-fought split decision victory over Ginjiro Shigeoka in their rematch at Intex Arena in Osaka, Japan.

The southpaw from Libon, Albay, turned to his tested high-volume approach and smothered his foe on the way to the win—repeating over the same man he dethroned for the crown last year.

“I won because I really worked hard in training,” Taduran said in Filipino shortly after the clash, which lasted longer than their previous meeting. “In Round 6, I pushed myself just to get the rounds.”

Shigeoka, clearly having learned his lesson from the ninth-round loss to Taduran in July 2024, kept his distance and tried to shake off his tormentor with crisp combinations.

But Taduran looked every bit the reigning champion, validating coach Carl Peñalosa Jr.’s belief that he’s now a transformed fighter with “improved hand speed and power.”

His performance was enough to convince two of the three judges—Katsuhiko Nakamura scoring 118-110, and Gil Co, 115-113.

While two of the scorecards reflected a close fight, the scenes that followed painted a more sobering picture.

As Taduran hailed Shigeoka for being “tough and precise,” the Japanese challenger lay motionless in his corner, prompting his staff to call for medical assistance.

Taduran improved to 18-4-1 professionally, while Shigeoka slipped to 11-2—both losses at the hands of the Filipino.

With this latest feat, Taduran moved closer to a possible unification bout against compatriot Melvin Jerusalem, the World Boxing Council’s 105-pound champion.