Rigondeaux, Astrolabio Successful in 30-Day Weight Check Ahead of WBC Int'l Clash in Dubai

By Carlos Costa

Loving him… or getting completely bored out of him, Cuban Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux has been in the limelight of boxing since his pro debut in Miami back in 2009; and at 41, he is still willing to lace up the boxing gloves, searching for “action,” wanting another shot at the bantamweight world title. Will he get it?

The 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist, 2-division World Champion says to fans “sí, sí se puede,” as he proceeds forward to complying with the required WBC 30-day weight-check ahead of his coming rumble against younger Filipino slugger Vincent Astrolabio for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight strap on February 26 at the plush Dubai Marina, the artificial canal city in the “City of Gold” Dubai in the United Araba Emirates.

Rigondeaux (20-2, 13 KO’s), born in the historic seaside Ciudad de Santiago the Cuba, the awesome island’s second largest city, will climb the ring in Dubai to trade blows against hard-swinging Astrolabio (16-3, 12 KO’s), a fighter from southern Philippines who prepers for battle at Many Pacquiao’s MP Davao Gym training facility.

During the weight check today, “El Chacal” (The Jackal), tipped the scale at 127.6 pounds, while the Filipino Astrolabio, boxer shorts and a t-shirt weighed-in heavier at 129.8 lbs; both boxers required to come down to 118 pounds for their one-month-away 12 rounder rumble.

The belt in dispute, the WBC International title, is a important one for the the sanctioning body founded in Mexico in back in 1963 by initiative of then Mexican president Adolfo López Mateos.

That’s why the Rigondeaux-Astrolabio war might as well get the winner with possibilities of a shot at the WBC Bantamweight World Champion Nonito Doanire; and who will the winner be?

Rigondeaux would more than love to battle again popular “Filipino Flash,” the star fighter whom Rigo outclassed nearly 9 years ago at the Radio City Music Hall in the Big Apple.

However, Nonito is more interested in a more thrilling, more rewarding, more sensational rematch against former foe, top-10 P4P lister Naoya Inoue, likely in Japan, than another clash against Rigondeaux. Its a no-brainer. If you are Nonito, what would you prefer?

Nonito is a battle-tested warrior who loves action. With Inoue he will sure get it. Against Rigondeaux, will he get it?

Still, Rigondeaux for sure would love for sure: another shot at Nonito. But for that he first needs to deal with the much younger. glory-hungry Filipino slugger with dreams and plans of his own, the fighter who will be with fists clinched, waiting for him in Dubai.

As fans might remember (or perharps want to forget), Rigondeaux’s last presentation was a suffocatingly boring split decision loss to Filipino Johnriel Casimero for the WBO Bantamweight World Title at the Dignity Sports Park in Carson last August, a fight in which the more active Casimero clearly outdid the retrieving, dull Jackal. However, inexplicably for jaw-dropped fans, one of the scorecards went for Rigondeaux; thankfully overruled by the other two tallies.

All the while, 17-years younger than the Cuban veteran, Vincent Astrolabio – who hails from boxing-loving General Santos City in the Philippines – intensifies his daily training sessions guided by Pacquiao’s former coach Nonoy Neri, the veteran trainer, who, together with Buboy Fernandez and Freddie Roach, prepared the fantastic Pacman throuout his legendary career.

Motivated by the win of his compatriot Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo over Gary Russell Jr. last Saturday in Atlantic City, will Vincent “Asero” Astrolabio outdo himself to emerge victorious from his 12-rounder rumble against the super accomplished Rigondeaux?

Or will the the skills, moves and ring smarts of the veteran Cuban still be there, leading him to comfortably dominate the coming-forward, aggressive sluggling fighting syle of the 24-year-old Filipino, a young warrior willing to make his mark in the world of boxing?

In the show’s co-feature, unbeaten Jenel “Demolition Man” Lausa (10-0-1, 6 KO’s) of Iloilo, Philippines, will trade blows against 19-year-old former amateur standout Jadier Herrera (4-0, 4 KO’s) of Camaguey, Cuba, for the vacant WBA Asia South Super Featherweight strap.

The show February 26 in Dubai is promoted by Phucan An Nguyen. Matchmaker Brico Santig of Highland Boxing Team.

The author Carlos Costa can be reached at carlos512@hotmail.com and whatsapp +639184538152.