‘Asero’ faces Japanese sparmates

American boxing dealmaker Sean Gibbons is going the extra mile in the pursuit of winning a world title for the Philippines.

“A couple of Japanese fighters are arriving early next month to help us in sparring,” Nonoy Neri, a vital member of Manny Pacquiao’s training team, told DAILY TRIBUNE on Tuesday from his homebase in Davao City.

The Japanese sparmates are going to help prepare Filipino Vincent “Asero” Astrolabio for his 20 July shot at Junto Nakatani’s World Boxing Council bantamweight crown at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

While Astrolabio and Nery are still waiting for the new batch of sparmates, the heavy-handed Astrolabio is being given quality work by Ariel Antimaro and Lienard Sarcon.

“He’s doing eight rounds now,” said Nery, who joined the cornerwork alongside Freddie Roach and Buboy Fernandez when Pacquiao was still active.

Nakatani is a 5-7 bomber who is coming off a sixth-round knockout of Alejandro Santiago of Mexico in his last defense.

“It’s kinda hard to get sparring partners locally who are like Nakatani, who is tall and rangy,” Nery added.