Vincent Astrolabio got the knockout he wanted, credits his trainer Nonoy Neri for game plan

World-ranked Filipino bantamweight Vincent Astrolabio envisioned a knockout over Nikolai Potapov, and that was exactly what happened when they shared the ring for their IBF bantamweight eliminator this Sunday (PH time) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Astrolabio, 18-3 with 13 knockouts as a pro, came out guns blazing in the opening round as he scored a knockdown with a right straight on top. Though the referee ruled it a slip, he scored more knockdowns during the fight en route to winning the contest via knockout in round six.

“It was my first time to fight [here in the USA] so I wanted to do everything I can. I knew [I was going to win by knockout] because that was what we planned with Coach Nonoy [Neri],” Astrolabio said in an interview on Sparring Sessions.

“We wanted to get a knockout because it is hard if it goes to the decision. I got my confidence from beating Guillermo Rigondeaux.”

Astrolabio, meanwhile, credited his coach, Nonoy Neri, for coming up with the game plan that got him the win. According to Neri, they wanted to surprise the Russian with various punches that he did not see coming.

“I studied Potapov and saw that his punches were more on one twos. We had unexpected punches he did not see coming that were very effective. The moment he jabs we already have a counter and the body shot was important,” Neri stated.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News