By Carlos Irusta
BORN IN NEUQUEN, in the Argentinean Patagonia, Francisco “El Chino” Mora was raised as a boxer at Morteros, Córdoba. The province where Santos Laciar and Gustavo Ballas were born. At 31 (he will be 32 on February 10), Mora has a pro record of 59 bouts with 50 victories (34 KO) and 9 loses. This Friday he will fight Kassim Ouma (22-2-1) for the vacant NABO junior middleweight belt at Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona (ESPN Friday Night Fights)
DESPITE THE FACT of the experience level of Mora, who doubles Ouma in number of fights, its necessary to say that the Argentinean is not finished. In his last bout he kayoed in 3 Colombian Alexander Pacheco Quiroz, a man with only 11-1-0 record. “It was a easy fight for me; I prefer more opposition for to know where am I”, he told us. The bout was held on August 12 at Córdoba.
LIKE CARLOS BALDOMIR, Mora is a low profile boxer, with a lot of battles. He fought at Netherlands, London, Germany and Denmark. He lost by points to Raymond Joval (IBO belt, middles) and Robin Reid (WBF super middleweight) but, as a matter of fact, he is a genuine junior middleweight. “But I am a pro, too”, says Mora. “And I don’t care for a couple of pounds of advantage. Ask Marcos Díaz…”
MARCOS DIAZ is a real middleweight. He used to learn boxing with Carlos Monzon, and is similar, physically, to Carlos. On June 19, 2004, Diaz and Mora fought for the WBA Fedelatin middleweight crown. In the 7th round, Diaz connected on Mora flooring him; Mora was not only back on his feet: he floored Diaz, the favorite to win. In the 8th, Mora kayoed Díaz in one of the most dramatic battles of the year.
“I KNOW OUMA”, says Mora. “I watched a couple of videos. He is strong, he is young, he is aggressive, and he is a professional, but… I don’t like to say this, but I have more experience and I think he is tailor made for me, because I like to be the counterpuncher in a bout. I respect Kassim, of course; the NABO belt is important for both of us, but I need it, because I will be 32 and I don’t want to quit boxing without a world title fight. So, I need to win next Friday”.
FRANCISCO MORA is part of Aranobox promotions, where Jorge "La Hiena" Barrios and Walter Matthysse are making their fights. Former national heavyweight Jorge Dascola is trainer and manager of Mora, who has defeated, among others, Miguel Arroyo, Elias Carrasco, Juan Italo Meza or Enrique Campos. We was National and South American junior middle champion, WBC Mundo Hispano middle champion, WBA International middle champion, WBA International Super middleweight champion, and WBO Latino junior middle champion – among others.
REMEMBER BALDOMIR. Mora has been made in the same school, but he also fought boxer bigger than him. Now, in the junior middle division –his real division- he has one of the most important bouts of his life against Kassim Ouma. And this man, of low profile style is, by far, a professional.
