Thais try to make it tough for Drian

MANILA, Philippines - Unbeaten WBA No. 1 superflyweight contender Drian Francisco was installed a 5-4 underdog amid expectations that he’ll be dragged through the wringer before engaging veteran Duangpetch Kokiet-Gym in a 12-round bout at faraway Beung Kan, a district in the northeast Thai province of Nong Khai, tomorrow.

Francisco took off on a Philippine Airlines flight accompanied by manager Elmer Anuran, trainer Benny de la Pena, brother Lloyd and a few supporters for his appointment with Duangpetch for the vacant WBA interim 115-pound crown relinquished by Nonito Donaire. They left Manila for Bangkok last Monday.

After landing in Bangkok, the traveling party took a 45-minute flight to Udon Thani where the Thai promoters are providing hotel accommodations. Bueng Kan, however, is a three-hour car ride away from Udon Thani and unless Anuran finds a hotel close to the fight venue, Francisco will shuttle back and forth for the weigh-in today and the bout itself tomorrow. The speculation is the Thai promoters purposely made it inconvenient for Francisco to negotiate the six-hour, turn-around trip for each visit to Bueng Kan from Udon Thai.

But Anuran said Francisco accepted the terms with eyes wide-open. “We know what we’re up against,” said Anuran the day before leaving for Bangkok. “We’ll do what we can to even the odds. We’re making our own arrangements to take away our disadvantage.”

A lot is at stake in the fight. Francisco, 27, is ranked No. 1 by the WBA, No. 2 by the WBO, No. 4 by the IBF and No. 5 by the WBC. Duangpetch is Thailand’s top hope for another world title and his record of 52-1-1, with 23 KOs, proves he’s no slouch. The only blemish in Duangpetch’s record is a loss in his second pro bout in 1997. Eight of his victims were Filipinos and he’s coming off a second-round demolition of Edwin Tumbaga in a Pan Asia Boxing Association superflyweight title bout in Udon Thani last September.

The winner of the fight earns a crack at the WBA belt now worn by Mexico’s Hugo Cazares who’s set to stake his crown against Hiroyuki Hisataka in Osaka on Dec. 23.

“As the No. 1 contender, Drian is the mandatory challenger,” said Anuran. “Whoever wins on Dec. 23 will be ordered to defend against the No. 1 contender. If Drian loses to Duangpetch, then he’ll also lose his No. 1 position. But losing is not an option. I expect Drian to beat Duangpetch and if Cazares retains the title, there’s a good chance he will come to Manila for his defense. If Hisataka wins, there will be a purse bid but I’m almost sure Japan will host his first defense.”

Anuran said Francisco will explore all possibilities to fight in the superflyweight division before moving up to bantamweight.

“Our first option is to go for the WBA title,” said Anuran. “But if that doesn’t happen for whatever reason, we’ll knock on the doors of the WBC, IBF and WBO. The only way we’ll consider a jump to bantamweight is if Drian is included in the proposed Super Six series involving Vic Darchinyan, Joseph Agbeko, Abner Mares and Yohnny Perez. Only four fighters have agreed to join the Super Six so far because Fernando Montiel and Donaire are doing their own fight. If Drian is included in the Super Six, maybe, he’ll move up to bantamweight unless there’s a sure shot at a superflyweight title.”

The WBO superflyweight champion is Omar Narvaez of Argentina. The WBC titlist is Mexico’s Tomas Rojas who is booked to defend his crown against Nobuo Nashiro in Osaka on Feb. 5. Rojas, 30, was outpointed by Gerry Peñalosa at the Araneta Coliseum in 2006 before he won the WBC championship. The IBF ruler is Mexico’s Juan Alberto Rosas who puts his throne on the line against countryman Cristian Mijares in Mexico on Dec. 11.

Francisco was prepared to travel to Mexico to face Mijares for the WBA interim crown but the fight was canceled. He also got feelers to take on Roberto Sosa in Argentina and Victor Zaleta in Mexico but in the end, decided to accept the offer to battle Duangpetch.

Francisco has a 19-0-1 record, with 15 KOs. He turned pro in 2005, eight years after Duangpetch made his debut.

“Drian is confident,” said Anuran. “It’s his first overseas fight but he’s more excited than nervous. I think his time has come. He’s ripe to win a world title. He’s ready. We’re not looking past Duangpetch. We know he’s a good fighter. He beat Eric Barcelona in his prime and we all know how tough it was to beat Eric. Drian will be focused only on Duangpetch. Once Duangpetch is out of the way, then we’ll begin to carefully study our options on the next step to take.”