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Philippines, 18 Feb 2026 |
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DRIAN FRANCISCO: FOLLOWING HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS PhilBoxing.com Mon, 01 Jun 2009 For Diomedes ?Joe? Francisco, being a boxer of his time was eventful. It was Erbito Salavarria, the former world boxing champion, who saw Francisco's potential during his amateur days. After only 2 successful fights as an amateur, Salavarria decided to give Joe his first crack as a professional. Joe turned professional in 1977. He had a total of twenty nine fights in his whole professional career (26 wins 2 losses and 1 draw). He then became the number three contender for Orient Pacific Boxing Federation. Acknowledged by some as a thinking boxer because of the way he analyzes his opponent before delivering his own big blows. He retired in 1981. But after three years, he made two comeback fights which he had won unanimously but after that, he then decided to hang his gloves for good to concentrate more in building up his family. But boxing doesn?t seem to end for Joe, he teaches free boxing lessons to kids in their province in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro wherein one of his brightest student, was his eldest son, Drian. At the age of seven, Drian was already throwing punches in their punching bags. He inherited almost everything from his father, the skills and technique of a boxer and the right attitude that a father always wanted to give to a son. But as far Joe is concerned, giving his son the right education was more important than boxing. Drian graduated at the San Sebastian College in Sablayan Occidental Mindoro with a commerce degree, but instead of applying jobs in Manila, he persuaded his father and mother Loyalyn that he be allowed to enter boxing. By his eagerness and determination he was permitted to box but with a various considerations. As he was starting, Drian and Joe were partners in their training. Drian became so promising, having 16 wins, with no loss and with only a single draw. He was given the ?Gintong Kamao? as his monicker because of his most precious hard-hitting blows. In his entire 17 fights he had a total of only 73 rounds, quite short, because most of it he finished in the early rounds. Now, Drian is up to much bigger task. His upcoming WBA International Super Flyweight Championship fight against Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion entitled ?Banal na Paghihiganti? will be his first major title shot. Concepcion previously fought AJ ?Bazooka? Banal in Cebu, where he won by a knockout for the WBA interim super flyweight championship in 2008 but later he lost it to former world champion Jorge Arce also in the same year. 'Gintong Kamao' knows that Concepcion won?t be an easy fight, but his confidence with his golden punches will land really hard for the win to continue, and even surpass his father?s achievements.  |
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