The stage is set for Vincent Astrolabio’s second shot at a world title.
The heavy-handed Filipino, who was already in training mode even before the announcement was made, faces defending champion Junto Nakatani for the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight belt on 20 July at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
Like Astrolabio who is neck-deep in training in Davao City, the southpaw Nakatani has been hitting the gym the past few weeks.
In fact, he had been spotted in Sagamihara in Kanagawa running and shadowboxing.
Nakatani, who enjoys a two-and-a-half inch height advantage at 5-feet-7½, has a perfect record of 27-0 with 20 knockouts.
Astrolabio, nicknamed “Asero,” parades a 19-4 mark with 14 knockouts.
This will be Nakatani’s first defense of the WBC 118-lb throne he had won by knocking out Mexican Alejandro Santiago last February at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in Tokyo.
Astrolabio assumed the role of mandatory challenger after his intense 11th-round knockout of Thai toughie Nawaphon Kaikanha in their title elimination brawl in Bangkok last year.
Nakatani, however, should be a lot harder to topple given his sterling credentials.
His power was in full display when he savagely stopped Santiago a few months back — his lethal left hand — getting the job done.
But Nonoy Neri, who trains Astrolabio, is fully aware of Nakatani’s awesome arsenal that he is upbeat about their chances of scoring a mighty upset even on enemy territory.