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DAVAO CITY — Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight champion Vic “Vicious” Saludar will make his first title defense against Masataka Taniguchi of Japan on February 26 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Saludar finally captured the WBO minimumweight belt after beating Ryuya Yamanaka, also of Japan, on Sept. 13, 2018 in Kobe, Japan.
In December 2015, Saludar made his first attempt to bring home the WBO crown but suffered a knockout defeat against undefeated Kosei Tanaka in Nagoya, Japan.
The fighter from Cagayan de Oro holds a ring record of 18-2-0, including 10 wins via stoppages.
Saludar, 28, will go out against Taniguchi, who previously defeated six Filipino opponents including Joel Lino to win the WBO Asia Pacific minimumweight crown in Bangkok, Thailand in November last year.
Other Filipino fighters beaten by Taniguchi were Joel Bactol, Dexter Alimento, Vicente Bautista, Benjie Bartolome and Reymark Taday.
Taniguchi, 25, has 11 wins with seven via knockouts out of 13 fights.
