By Rey Danseco

THE camp of WBO Asia Pacific flyweight champion Drian “Little Espinosa” Francisco in Manila has started the move to realize his goal to become the sixth reigning Filipino world champion.

Francisco’s promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. asked WBO president Francisco"Paco" Valcarcel of Puerto Rico to move his boxer’s current third-ranked position to number one and then proposed to give him a crack at a world title.

 Elorde told Valcarcel his plan to promote the title fight between the aging WBO flyweight champion Omar “El Huracan” Narvaez (27-0, 17 KOs) of Argentina and Francisco (15-0-1, 11 KOs) on September 13 in the Philippines.

The eldest son of the great Flash Elorde reasoned in improving the ranking of the 25-year-old native of the Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro province. He said the bump is needed because of his one-sided victory over veteran campaigner Jun Eraham on April 19 at Elorde Sports Center.

 The 32-year old Argentine recently made his second title defense this year and 13th overall since taking it from Nicaraguan Adonis Rivas in July 2002 in Buenos Aires.

Narvaez, who at 5-foot-3 stands two-inch shorter than Francisco, beat seventh ranked Spanish Ivan Pozo (28-5-1, 18 KOs) on May 9 at Pabellon Central in Vigo, Galicia, Spain. Pozo retired after six rounds of their fight to lose by TKO.

Should given a chance, Francisco will try to avenge the failure of his compatriot, Rexon “Pison” Flores, who tried to dethrone Narvaez in their mandatory fight in August 2006 in Buenos Aires.

Ahead of Francisco’s ranking is the 5-foot-7 North American Boxing Organization champ Rayonta “Stingray” Whitfield (21-0, 10 KOs) of the United States and former two-time World Boxing Association flyweight title challenger Denkaosan Kaovichit (43-1-1, 18 KOs) of Thailand.

The current Filipino world champions are super featherweight Manny Pacquiao, flyweight Nonito Donaire, bantamweight Gerry Penalosa, and minimumweights Florante Condes and Donnie Nietes.

Francisco got his nickname due to his similarity of style with former two-division world champ Luisito Espinosa, the original Golden Boy, who became the idol of Oscar De La Hoya.