VINCENT ASTROLABIO finally gets a crack at a world title after the International Boxing Federation (IBF) ordered his camp and that of Puerto Rico’s Emmanuel Rodriguez to negotiate for the vacant bantamweight crown.
The IBF gave both camps until February 25 to strike a deal to avoid a purse bidding process for the world title bout.
Astrolabio, 25, had a rousing performance last year when the country’s world champions lost their belts one after the other.
He beat former world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba last February 26 in Dubai via unanimous decision to capture the World Boxing Council international title.
Last December 17, Astrolabio, of General Santos City, went undefeated in six fights wher he prevailed over Russian Nikolai Potapov via a sixth-round knockout.
Astrolabio—who fights under boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions headed by Sean Gibbons—has an 18-3 win-loss record with 13 knockouts. The 30-year-old Rodriguez , on the other hand, is 21-2 with 13 knockouts.