Battle lines drawn

STOCKTON – No quarter will be given nor taken when General Santos City’s Vincent Astrolabio engages Australia’s Jason Moloney in a scheduled 12-round bout for the vacant WBO bantamweight title at the 12,000-seat Stockton Arena in this Northern California port city, 80 miles east of San Francisco, tonight (tomorrow morning, Manila time). Both fighters predict an abbreviated ending with Astrolabio vowing to finish off Moloney in six or seven and the Australian giving the Filipino up to eight rounds.

“Ito ang pangarap ko, maging world champion,” said Astrolabio who brought a stuffed baby kangaroo toy during a Top Rank press conference at the Great Wolf Lodge in Manteca, a 25-minute drive to Stockton, the other day. “Gagawin ko ang lahat para sa bayan, pamilya at mga sumusuporta sa akin.” Moloney’s twin brother Andrew takes on Junto Nakatani for the vacant WBO superflyweight throne in Las Vegas next week and his dream is for both to return home as world champions.

Astrolabio’s coach Nonoy Neri said he’s developed a secret weapon that’s guaranteed to take the starch out of Moloney. He hinted that a three-punch combination will do the trick with the left uppercut to the side of the body delivering the coup de grace. MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said timing is essential and he’s confident Astrolabio’s power will obliterate Moloney like it did Russia’s Nikolai Potapov who was floored thrice before referee Robert Hoyle halted the carnage in the sixth round in Las Vegas last December.

“Triple G (Gennady Golovkin) and Eumir (Marcial) are the only fighters I’ve seen to wobble their opponents with unorthodox shots to the side of the head other than Vincent,” said Gibbons. “It’s now or never. His win over (Guillermo) Rigondeaux turned the corner then came Potapov. Two wins and Vincent is in a world title fight. Moloney brought in a Filipino sparmate (Arthur Villanueva) but that only raises false hopes.”

Neri said doing mitts with Astrolabio sent electric shock waves up his shoulders and numbed his hands. “Nakabasag siya ng panga sa laban at sa sparring,” he said. “Mga ka-sparring niya sa Las Vegas sina Jade Bornea, Jonas Sultan, Saul Sanchez at Franklin Gonzalez. Magkasama kami ni Vincent noong amateur pa siya ng 17 years old. Oras na niya ngayon.” Moloney trained in Las Vegas for a month and is here with wife Georgia. His coach Angelo Hyder said accuracy and volume punching will do it for Moloney. “I’m a true professional,” said Moloney. “I train all year long. I’m ready to win.”