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Philippines, 17 Sep 2025 |
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Drian survives big test in Bueng Kan By Dennis U. Eroa PhilBoxing.com Fri, 03 Dec 2010  BANGKOK, Thailand ? Boxing sensation Drian Francisco, his golden fists swollen and hurting, but obviously the most happiest man on earth was telling a captive audience that besting Thai-pride Duangpetch Kokietgym was his toughest fight yet in his remarkable career. ??Attack, attack.. Duangpetch had nothing in mind but to go forward. He was strong and determined not to lose in front of his countrymen,?? recalled Francisco (20-0-1, 16 Kos) the day after he hugged the headlines of the sports pages of various Thai newspapers for his sensational 10th round knock out of the wide-bodied Kokietgym amid sweltering heat at a football field at the new northeastern Thai province of Bueng Kan. Honest and soft-spoken, Francisco, prized fighter of the Saved by the Bell Promotions and Touch Gloves Boxing Gym admitted that he got hurt by Kokietgym?s body shots but wasn?t in the mood to lose. ??Other boxers will go down early when hit by my punches, but Duangpetch was different. I respect him for his courage,?? said Francisco, the new holder of the WBA interim super flyweight crown. ??I got tired and felt that my chest tightened as early as the third round but thanks to my training under coach Benny de la Pena, I didn?t lopse my strength. A week before the bout which was trumpeted in the local press here, Francisco was bothered by a persistent cough and needed to take antibiotics. The Thai camp, according to Saved by the Bell president and youthful Batangueno sportsman-businessman Elmer Anuran wisely studied and avoided Francisco?s lethal left hook but Kokietgym had no answer to the Filipino?s ringmanship and powerful uppercuts. ??The Thai didn?t know what hit him when Drian started to box like the old Drian. Punches were raining on him on all directions,?? said Anuran, who masterfully executed the pre-fight plans for Drian including his length and place of stay in this city of smiles and at Bueng Kan more than 700 kilometers away from the capital located near the Mekong River bordering Laos. Games and Amusements Board chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon and boxing chief Dr. Nasser Cruz were among a small but spirited group of supporters who watched the main event of a bout not lacking in rituals, fireworks and the usual speeches of Thai leaders. ??He?s a thinking boxer. With the able guidance of Anuran and SBB and GAB support, Drian can be our next boxing superstar. Of course, it goes without saying that this is just the start of his bid to join the elite list of champions,?? said Guanzon, who watched his first world title bout since being appointed as GAB chairman. Thai do-it-all Narong Hentrakul, tasked by the host to assists Team Francisco, said that Drian is a future ring superstar. ??He deserved the affection of Thai fans. I?ll bet that he?s going to be a million-dollar boxer, ?? said Hengtrakul.. Also with the happy, noisy group feasting on ham, eggs, steaks and fried rice at the 13Coins Hotel in Ratchada Wednesday, were members of the Taal Lake Aquaculture Alliance, coach/trainer Benny de la Pena, international promoter Brico Santig, Danny Anuran, Rod Nebiar, Rommel Santiago, Efren Brotonel, Paps Nera, Val Tolentino and cornermen Lloyd Francisco and Jubie ??Ariza?? Encontro. Listen to Hengtrakul, who never fails to elicit laughter with his antics and boasts of his ability to sing Lupang Hinirang in Filipino. ??They were traps, but Team Francisco wisely eluded the traps. My hope for Drian is that he?ll not forget his humble beginnings like the great Manny Pacquiao. He earned the respect of the Thai people with his attitude after the bout.?? Francisco, who admitted of difficulty in breathing due to a persistent cough, never backed down when challenged by the bull-charging Kokietgym, who came to the bout with an eye-popping 52-1-1, 21 KOs record. The soft-spoken De la Pena, a native of GenSan, jolted Francisco with a hard thump to the chest before the start of the 10th round. ??I asked him whether he still has the legs and moral toughness to win. His response was quick, saying that he will finish the Thai. And I know that we have the belt.?? Impressed with Francisco?s demolition of Kokietgym who previously beat nine Filipino boxers, the Thais, who looked shocked when their countrymen lay motionless for several minutes before being stretchered to a nearby hospital, applauded and congratulated Francisco. Francisco acknowledged the fans attitude and the sportsmanship shown by well-known Thai promoter Kokiet Panichayarom and other leading government officials. The native of Sablayan. Occidental Mindoro but trains at Agoncillo, Batangas gamely obliged when a group of giggling students from the Bueng Kan school and medical personnel asked for photo oppurtunities. ??To win in Thailand over an experienced and courageous rival is a dream come true. I would like to thank my family, my fans and my fellow Filipinos for their prayers so that I would win my first international outing. Also I would like to thank members of the sportswriting fraternity for their support. This is for the honor of our country.?? Francisco also expressed concern on the condition of Kokietgym. ??I pray that he?ll be able to recover soon.?? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dennis U. Eroa.  |
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