DRIAN FRANCISCO SHOT AT WBA CHAMPION RIGONDEAUX FALLS THROUGH
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 07 Nov 2012
Drian Francisco.
The announced shot of Filipino super bantamweight Drian Francisco against WBA champion Guillermo Rigondeaux has fallen through.
Boxingscene.com reports that the manager of the two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist who has a record of 11-0 with 8 knockouts informed them that a deal was reached to fight Thailand's rugged former champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (48-2, 33KOs) on December 15th at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Hyde said there was some discussion about a fight with Filipino contender Drian Francisco (23-1-1, 18KOs), but Hyde says that fight will not happen and Rigondeaux has already signed a contract for Poonsawat.
Meantime all efforts to contact Francisco?s manager Elmer Anuran by both mobile phone and email have proved fruitless.
It was Anuran who called us to break the news of the Francisco-Rigondeaux fight and said both Francisco and his trainer Justin Fortune were eager to accept the challenge and he was only waiting for the contracts which obviously never came.
In the main event WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire will defend titles which includes the coveted WBC Diamond Belt which he won with a 9th round TKO over Japan?s super champion Toshiaki Nishioka last October will be on the line Mexican warrior Jorge ?Travieso? Arce. HBO will televise both fights which will be carried in the Philippines by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN on its pore-eminent Channel 2.
In a statement to boxingscene.com, Rigondeaux?s manager said "I am delighted with the choice of Rigondeaux's next opponent Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym. Poonsawat is one of the top fighters in the [122-pound] division and we are delighted he has accepted the fight. This is definitely the toughest challenge that we could have taken as he is ranked [number three] in the division by [Ring Magazine], but that being said I feel [Rigondeaux] has the tools to dismantle the Thai fighter and look impressive in doing so.?
Hyde added ?I will make sure [Rigondeaux] brings his 'A' game on December 15th as I witnessed the Thai's brutal attack of Bernard Dunne in 2009. [Rigondeaux] spent some time with Bernard last year in Ireland, and he will be looking to give him and Irish boxing fans some sweet revenge while stealing the show from Nonito Donaire."
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