Going into final evening’s IBF bantamweight title battle elimination bout, 25 12 months previous Vincent Astrolabio made a promise to his promoter, the legendary Manny Pacquiao. Going up towards Nikolai Potapov, Astrolabio had promised Manny he would rating a knockout win as a birthday present to Pac Man, who celebrated his forty fourth birthday yesterday, December seventeenth.
And, on the Frank Martin-Michel Rivera card in Las Vegas final evening, Astrolabio certain delivered as promised. Wanting quick and sharp, Astrolabio dropped Potapov within the opening spherical, he was credited with one other knockdown in spherical 5 when Potapov elected to take a knee. After which, in spherical six, the Filipino warrior closed the present with the KO he had predicted – promised.
Now 18-3(13), Astrolabio will seemingly get a shot on the quickly to be vacated (by Naoya Inoue) IBF 118 pound title, this in a battle with former champ Emmanuel Rodriguez subsequent. Potapov falls to 23-3-1(11) and it might be a protracted highway again for him.
Talking of Manny Pacquiao, though the all-time nice is now 44,years of age there may be speak of Pac Man combating once more, and never simply within the type of an exhibition bout. Pacquiao has proven, within the health club and in his current exhibition bout with DK Yoo, that he nonetheless has quick fingers, accuracy and zest. There has even been speak, coming from Manny himself, that he may battle the likes of Terence Crawford and Errol Spence.
All of us just about hope this doesn’t show to be the case. Pacquiao ought to persist with selling guys like Astrolabio, the subsequent era of Filipino boxers coming by way of. The game certain has modified a great deal since Pacquiao’s prime years, although. Today, the most effective of the most effective are an increasing number of inclined to field simply every year. This was mainly unthinkable again when Pac Man was combating real tremendous fights to the tune of two or three a 12 months yearly.
Perhaps Pacquiao needs to battle once more in an effort at rekindling these glory days.