Aston Palicte won’t rush early finish

MANILA, Philippines — Aston Palicte knows what he’s up against in battling three-division world champion Kazuto Ioka for the vacant WBO superflyweight crown in Chiba City, Japan, on June 19 but the long-armed Bago City power puncher is optimistic that when push comes to shove, the advantage will be his in the end.

Palicte, 28, brings a record of 25-2-1, with 21 KOs, into the ring and a fearsome reputation as a finisher. His manager Jason Soong, however, said the plan isn’t to go all out for an early ending, realizing that Ioka is a dangerous customer.  Ioka, 30, has a 23-2 record, with 13 KOs, and his two losses were by split decision to Thailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng and Filipino Donnie Nietes.

Two months ago, Soong said Palicte’s chances to win were 60 to 70 percent. The other day, he upped it to 75 percent. “We definitely won’t rush things and we’ll be patient but we’re ready to press forward if the opportunity opens up,” he said. “No prediction but I’m confident Aston will bring home that belt.”

Team Palicte will leave Manila for Japan on Tuesday. Head trainer Rodel Mayol, the former WBC lightflyweight champion, flew in from his Los Angeles base last Monday to supervise Palicte’s final week of training. Mayol couldn’t arrive earlier as he worked the corners of Filipino fighters Marlon Tapales and Jhack Tepora at the Soboba Casino Resort in San Jacinto, California, last Saturday. Tapales stopped Mexico’s Roberto Castaneda and Tepora decisioned Chicago’s Jose Luis Gallegos.

Palicte opened training camp in Manila last April then moved to Baguio with brother Vincent supervising the workouts assisted by Dean Bermudez and conditioning coach Jaako Bernardo. He did over 16 sparring days. Palicte said the camp was moved to Baguio to sharpen his focus, acclimatize to high altitude and spar with fighters from the national team. 

Palicte’s promoter Roy Jones, Jr., a former four-division champion, said he’s excited to stage the first world title fight on the UFC Fight Pass platform. “Ioka is a very solid boxer who has good head and foot movements,” said Jones. “He also counter-punches well. So Aston will have to be on his ‘A’ game. He will have the edge in power but he can’t allow Ioka to make him punch himself out.”

It will be both fighters’ second attempt to win the WBO 115-pound crown. Palicte and Nietes fought to a split 12-round draw for the vacant throne last September while Ioka lost to Nietes, also for the vacant throne, last December. Nietes later relinquished the title, paving the way for Palicte and Ioka to dispute the vacant crown.

Ioka has held the WBA/WBC minimumweight, WBA lightflyweight and WBA flyweight titles. A former Olympian, he retired abruptly at 28 after a spat with his father and trainer Kazunori over his marriage to Japanese pop singer Nana Tanimura in 2017. But after a 17-month retirement, Ioka returned to the ring to outpoint McWilliams Arroyo in Inglewood, California. Before losing to Nietes, Ioka had won nine in a row.

Palicte has a distinct three-inch height and 1 1/2-inch reach edge over Ioka. The Filipino is unbeaten in his last six outings. His only losses were a split decision to Mexico’s Junior Granados in Merida in 2016 and a fourth round stoppage to Negros Oriental’s Romnick Magos in Taguig in 2012.