Francisco to challenge winner of Cazares-Hisataka title bout

Drian Francisco's 10th round technical knockout (TKO) win over Duangpetch Kokietgym of Thailand moved him closer to challenging the winner of the scheduled 12-round bout between Mexican champion Hugo Cazares and challenger Hiroyuki Hisataka for the World Boxing Association (WBA) world super flyweight crown. Cazares is set to defend his WBA world super flyweight crown against Sataka on December 23. The winner will face Francisco in a mandatory title defense next year. Francisco passed his first test in a world title bout when he defeated the veteran Kokietgym to claim the interim WBA world super flyweight (115-lb) belt in a 12-round fight on Tuesday at the Bueng Kan School, Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, Thailand. The interim WBA super flyweight winner is a champion-in-waiting tag for the WBA, while other world boxing bodies like the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) label it as a mandatory challenger. It was Francisco's first world title and first fight outside of the Philippines. He remained undefeated after 21 fights, 16 of which ended by KO, and one as a draw. The 28-year-old Francisco’s win kept the interim WBA super flyweight crown on Philippine soil, even as he followed the footsteps of former sparring partner Nonito Donaire Jr. Francisco was one of Donaire’s sparmates when "The Filipino Flash" was training in Baguio City for the Rafael Concepcion fight last year. Francisco had a tough time breaking through Kokietgym's defense in the first five rounds, but found an opening in the sixth to floor the Thai fighter twice. Kokietgym stood up and managed to shake off those two knockdowns. He peppered Francisco in the seventh with a number of combinations and body shots to win the round. Francisco, however, remained undaunted and fought back in the eighth and ninth rounds, before finishing off Kokietgym with a vicious uppercut in the 10th to win the bout by TKO. It was Kokietgym’s second loss in 55 fights. He had compiled 52 wins, 21 of which by KO and had one draw. – Jon Perez/KY, GMANews.TV