By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Undefeated Drian Francisco who is rated No. 3 super flyweight by the WBA battles Panama’s Ricardo Nunez who is ranked one notch higher at No.2 in a battle of “Young Guns” in Solar Sports Boxing at the Bay series on March 28.
The fight card will be held at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City with the winner of the title eliminator between Francisco-Nunez promised a crack at WBA
Francisco earned his No. 3 rating in the WBA following his 10th round TKO victory over another Panamanian in Roberto “La Arana” Vasquez last October at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City when he won the vacant WBA International title. The stylish fighter has a record of 18-0-1 with 14 knockouts.
Nuñez, ranked No. 2 by the WBA and No. 1 by the WBC, is out to avenge fellow countryman Vasquez’ loss to Francisco. Nunez is known as “El Matematico” for his “mathematical precision, impressive hand-speed and ruthless killer’s instinct”. He has a record of 17-1 with 15 knockouts .He has won his last seven bouts, six coming by way of knockouts.
Last November, the 22 year old Nuñez floored Nicaragua ‘s Juan Centeno five times en route to scoring a brutal third round stoppage. Prior to that the hard-hitting Nunez won the WBA Intercontinental title with a 4th round TKO victory over Timur Shailezov of Kyrgyzstan, dropping him once in the first round and twice in the third.
27 year old Francisco also won the WBO Asia Pacific flyweight crown with a 7th round TKO of Thailand’s Pichitchai Twin Gyms on December 30, 2006.
“Young Guns” is the 3rd installment of the Boxing at the Bay brand after “First Strike” and “Collision Course” events as Solar TV continues to bring world-class boxing to fight enthusiasts all around the world with 3 more events planned this year.
