The Golden Fist meets The National Fist
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 08 Nov 2012
Drian ?The Golden Fist? Francisco paid a visit to the Wild Card Gym yesterday to meet the other famous fist from the Philippines. None other than the country?s ?National Fist? himself, Manny Pacquiao.
Francisco, who has been in Los Angeles since last month, has been training himself for an upcoming fight. He was originally slated to fight on November 17th at the L.A. Sports Arena, but the absence of an opponent has been a problem for him and his trainer. His name was being considered to face current WBA Super Bantam Champ, Guillermo Rigondeaux as per reports by this site but more recent news from other boxing sites point to the champion facing a different opponent.
Francisco was accompanied by veteran sports journalist Manolo ?Chino? Trinidad and introduced him to Pacquiao yesterday afternoon. The two boxers exchanged pleasantries and talked briefly amongst themselves.
Pacquiao invited the boxer from Mindoro to watch him spar against three sparring partners that trainer Freddie Roach has lined up for him. Francisco watched Pacquiao intently from the sidelines of the main ring of Roach?s famed gym in Hollywood.
Francisco said that Pacquiao asked about his record in the ring and was impressed when Francisco mentioned to him that eighteen of his twenty three wins came by knockout.
?Aba maganda pala ang record mo.? (You have a good record.) Francisco quoted Pacquiao.
Pacquiao also asked about Francisco?s fight of which the two talked about briefly.
Francisco stayed through all of Pacquiao?s sparring session and other routine in the gym. He watched with interest like a pupil watching a master perform his craft. He watched a fellow boxer, a ?kababayan? who like him started as an upstart fighter in search of better opportunities and eventually reached the pinnacle of the sport.
And as he left the Wild Card Gym through the same stairs that Manny Pacquiao climbed for the first time some eleven years ago, Drian Francisco is filled with optimism and hope that his journey in the sport will also bring him to the place that his famous ?kababayan? enjoys now.
Today, he will be back running in the streets of L.A. with that in mind.
Top photo (L-R): Drian Francisco, Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao exchange pleasantries at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles Tuesday.
Francisco and others watch Pacquiao train.
Photos by Jhay Otamias.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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