Can Drian Francisco upset the odds against Guillermo Rigondeaux?

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxer Drian Francisco (28-3-1, 22 knockouts) will finally get the opportunity on the big stage he has long been dreaming of. 

He will face the reigning and undefeated The Ring magazine junior featherweight lineal champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (15-0-0, 10 KOs) in a ten-round bout on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs Saul “Canelo” Alvarez middleweight championship pay-per-view event at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas this Sunday morning, November 22 (Manila time).

Francisco’s humble beginnings

I had the honor of calling some of Francisco’s earlier fights in 2009 and 2010.  I saw Francisco prove to everyone that his monicker “Gintong Kamao” (Hands of Gold) was a perfect description of the value of his fists. I was able to watch firsthand how he disposed of Sahril Fabanyo, Roberto Vasquez and Ricardo Nunez in abbreviated fashion.

Back then, it seemed there was no other way to go but up for the Occidental Mindoro native. There were even aggressive talks for Francisco to take on Mexican Christian Mijares, one of the best fighters in the bantamweight category at the time, with the hopes of making a name in the international arena. That fight, and other big fights like it, never came to fruition.

Much like many other boxers, Francisco’s career was marked by managerial squabbles and wrong career decision. I bumped into his former manager Elmer Anuran several years ago and found out that Francisco decided to pursue his boxing career with a different management team Francisco then flew to the United States in the hopes of getting bigger fights. Though surprised by Francisco’s decision, having taken care of him in the early days of the boxer’s career, Anuran just wished that Francisco would get his shot.

The chance of a lifetime

Last Friday, November 13, at the Philippine Navy Gym, I was pleasantly surprised to see Francisco’s name on a Manny Pacquiao Promotions, U.S.A. fight card.

As I was preparing for the fight, I was told that Francisco backed out and will not be fighting that night. My initial reaction was of disappointment. Since I last saw him fight live, Francisco has fallen off the radar. Although he still holds a respectable record, his last few fights were against boxers of lesser caliber than him. 

In addition he was nursing a TKO first round loss against Jason Canoy which happened in May of this year. Deciding not to step into the ring on fight day to me was an indication of a lack of dedication to his sport, his craft.

My disappointment turned to excitement when I learned that the reason he backed out of the card was because he just agreed to fight the undefeated and highly celebrated Cuban boxer, Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Francisco was equally excited when we (myself and fellow VIVA Sports commentator Ronnie Nathanielsz) interviewed him. He said that this was the chance he has been waiting for.  This fight was for all the marbles. This is so far his biggest – and probably will be his last – opportunity for boxing stardom.

Francisco’s chances

Francisco comes into the fight with Rigondeaux as the underdog. Rigondeaux is described as a superb boxer puncher capable of beating anybody easily by points or scoring a knockout. The Cuban has beaten both Joseph Agbeko and another Filipino, Nonito Donaire Jr, by showcasing his superb boxing skills and ring generalship.

These are skills that Francisco downplays. Although Rigondeaux boasts of 10 knockouts in his 15 wins, Francisco still believes in the power of his fists.  “Baka maka tsamba” (I might get lucky), referring to his ability to connect with overhand rights which has given problems to a lot of his former opponents.

Although Rigondeaux is the draw and will come in as the favorite in this fight, the tale of the tape seem to tell a different story. Francisco is younger (by two years) and taller (by an inch).  He has had more fights than the Cuban boxer and has a higher knockout percentage, 69% to 67%.

More than that, Francisco says that his unorthodox style will be the key to beating Rigondeaux.  Francisco has the ability to throw off timed punches. He can throw his jabs like straights and has the uncanny ability to connect with overhead haymakers. Francisco believes that if he can connect with these punches early in the fight, he will give Rigondeaux problems.

When pressed about preparations for this fight, Francisco reiterated that he is ready and he has been in training for two months. He was excited to get on the plane and prepare for Rigondeaux.

It has been a long wait for Drian Francisco. He has been talking about fighting under the lights of Las Vegas since I first met him. Although it will not be a title fight, just being able to showcase his skills against one of the best pound for pound boxers in the world is already a welcome break for him.  

Winning this one opens up the door for him but losing will leave it shut tighter than before. – Rappler.com