MANTECA, California — Heavy-handed Filipino puncher Vincent Astrolabio knows the odds are stacked against him in his bold bid to win a world title Saturday night (late-Sunday morning in Manila) in the neighboring city of Stockton.
“I will have to be the one dictating the tempo, taking charge because I am up against a champion and the house fighter,” Astrolabio, who battles Jason Moloney of Australia for the vacant World Boxing Organization bantamweight crown.
Top Rank’s Bob Arum is staging the fight and Moloney is signed with the Las Vegas-based company.
Usually, house fighters are blessed with intangibles that boost their chances of winning, something Astrolabio’s handlers intend to mess up when the bell rings at the Stockton Arena, a 15-minute ride from this farming center 76 miles (122 kilometers east of San Francisco).
Moloney, who has challenged twice unsuccessfully for a world title, is the clear favorite.
Armed with a 25-2-record with 19 knockouts, Moloney has so far beaten 10 Filipinos and stopped a vast majority of them.
But Astrolabio is convinced Moloney will meet his match on fight night, confident that he pushed himself to the limit in training in Las Vegas with the help of lead coach Nonoy Neri and assistant Ting Ariosa, a former national team head coach, and strength and conditioning expert Memo Heredia.
“I am in terrific condition and I am going for a big win,” Astrolabio, who parades an 18-3 card with 13 knockouts.
But Moloney feels it is him who is scoring a huge victory in a few days.
“I’ll stop him inside 12 (rounds),” Moloney told the Australian media.
The ring is going to be on fire on Saturday.
