WBO Assigns Neutral Ref To Francisco Bout

By Rey Danseco
 
THE World Boxing Organization (WBO) assigned veteran referees from neutral countries in the anticipated double WBO title bouts between Filipino and Thai fighters, later this month in Manila, Philippines

Gene Del Bianco flew in to Manila yesterday from Washington D.C in preparation for his first assignment in two years as third man in the ring in the Philippine boxing scene.

Del Bianco will work between Filipino Draian “Little Espinosa” Francisco (9-0, 6 KOs) and Thai Pichitchok Singmanassak (9-0, 4 KOs) in the battle of unbeaten for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific flyweight title on the co-main event of the P1.5 worth card of Gabriel Elorde Jr. and Mayor Boyet Gonzales on December 30 at Mandaluyong City Gymnasium.

Known as strict and no-none sense official, Del Bianco’s last appearance in the ring, along with ringside judges Rey Danseco and Alex Vidal, was in Nov. 27, 2007 at Casino Filipino-Paranaque where Filipino Rey Pelonia stopped hardnosed Thai Jakkirt Suwunnalird in the 11th round for the vacant WBF International welterweight title.

The other referee will be Angeles City-based New Zelander Bruce McTavish. He will work for the WBO Intercontinental light flyweight title bout between WBO No. 7 flyweight contender Rexon “Pison” Flores (16-3-4, 9 KOs) and Wisan Sor Suchanya (8-3-1, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO Intecontinental light flyweight crown.

It will be Flores’ second shot for international championship after he captured the WBO Asia Pacific flyweight title and vacated after his shot against WBO flyweight champ Omar Narvaez in August in Cordoba, Argentina.

Singmanassak and Suchanya are expected to arrive in Manila today from Bangkok with two trainers and WBO Vice President for Asia pacific Leon Panoncillo.

Flores is a pride of Cadiz City but has honed his skills under Elorde Stable in Paranaque City while Francisco is a protégé of former two-time world flyweight champ Erbito Salavarria in SFDM, Quezon City.