DRIAN FRANCISCO TO SEE ACTION ON TOP RANK-ESPN CARD IN LAS VEGAS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 24 May 2013
Former world-rated super bantamweight prospect Drian Francisco is scheduled to see action on a Top Rank-ESPN card in Las Vegas on July 12.
Top Rank promoter confirmed the fight in a conversation with the Manila Standard after Francisco?s manager Elmer Anuran informed us that he has a ?live? contract with Francisco who left for the US without his knowledge.
When told about this Arum requested us to ask Anuran to get in touch with him because he didn?t know the circumstances and was confident the issue could be resolved.
Francisco is reportedly in Los Angeles and trains under Justin Fortune in his gym. Fortune told us in the past that Francisco is an awesome puncher and only needs a break to make it to the big time after he scored a 5th round TKO over Javier Gallo last November at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on the undercard of the flyweight battle between WBO champion Brian Viloria and WBA champion Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez which Viloria won by a 10th round TKO.
Francisco previously scored two first round knockouts over Carlos Vargas on September 29 in Mexico and Pichitchai Twin Gyms on April 14.
The 30 year old Francisco has a record of 24-1-1 with 19 knockouts faces a big puncher in world-rated Chris ?The Hitman? Avalos , the 23 year old who has a record of 21-2 with 16 knockouts.
Avalos who is ranked No. 5 by the WBO and No. 6 by the WBA scored a 4th round TKO in a scheduled ten round bout against Jose Luis Araiza last February 23.
In the opening round Avalos worked behind the jab but in the second round he picked up the tempo and landed more combinations even as he switched his stance as Araiza came forward aggressively. Araiza suffered a nasty cut above his left eye from a punch in round four and couldn?t continue promping referee Lou Moret to call a halt at 1:42 of the round.
Avalos won the WBO vacant Intercontinental title with a unanimous ten round decision over Khabir Suleymanov after dropping him in rounds one and three.
He also scored an impressive ten round decision over previously undefeated Yenifel Vicente (23-0-2, 15 KO?s)from the Dominican Republic last August 10.
Photo: Drian Francisco (R) with trainer Justin Fortune.
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