DRIAN FRANCISCO LOOKS GREAT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Jul 2013
Filipino super bantamweight Drian Francisco (23-1-1, 18 KO?s) battles fancied Chris Avalos (21-2, 16 KO?s) of San Diego at the Dallas Events Center at the Texas Station Gambling Hall and Casino later today (Saturday morning Manila Time) on Top Rank?s ESPN Friday Night Fights with the winner looking for a shot at WBO/WBA champion Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Francisco?s trainer, former heavyweight contender Justin Fortune who is currently handling Francisco who lives in his home and trains at the Fortune Gym in Los Angeles told the Manila Standard that the weigh-in ?went very well? with Francisco coming in at 121.5 pounds and Avalos slightly lighter at 121.2 pounds.
Fortune told us ?Drian looks great and we are looking forward to the fight? which is Drian?s second fight in the US and his biggest test by far.
Last November on the undercard of a Zanfer Promotions fight card at the LA Sports Arena in which WBO flyweight Brian Viloria scored a 10th round TKO in an action-packed battle against WBA champion Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez of Mexico, the 30 year old Francisco scored an impressive 5th round TKO over Javier Gallo after sending Jose Carlos Vargas to the canvas three times en route to a 1st round knockout in an earlier fight on September 29, 2012.
Fortune complained that Francisco whose purse was $10,000 received only $2,000 from his manager Elmer Anuran for the Gallo fight. All our efforts to contact Anuran have proved fruitless.
Francisco broke away from Anuran who threatened to sue him but reportedly relented after Top Rank promoter Bob A rum spoke to him and allowed Francisco to go ahead with today?s fight.
Anuran had earlier announced he was sending unbeaten featherweight Jun Doliguez (16-0-1, 12 KO?s) who is ranked No. 9 by the WBO to face WBO International featherweight champion and world No. 7 Jose ?Negro? Ramirez in Mexico on July 20 in a Zanfer Promotions fight card of Fernando Beltran but Ramirez denied he had accepted the fight claiming the offer of $3,000 for an eight round bout was ? a joke.?
Both Arum and Mike Koncz of MP Promotions were interested in signing up Doliguez but Anuran who had asked us to put him in contact with Arum apparently decided to allow Doliguez to team-up with Beltran.
Fortune told the Standard that the 23 year old Avalos who is ranked No. 5 by the WBO and No. 10 by the WBA and has a record of 21-2 with 16 knockouts ?has no defense but has a very good right hand.?
Fortune said ?they consider him a puncher but he?s never fought anybody like Drian.? He noted that Francisco is ?awkward, has good defense and offense and this kid (Francisco) can really punch.?
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