INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines ? Drian ?Golden Fists? Francisco moved closer to a world title shot by stopping favored Panamanian Roberto Vasquez in the 10th round to win the WBA super flyweight international title at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City yesterday.

The 26-year-old Francisco, who stretched his unblemished record to 18 wins, including 14 KOs, gave the dazed Panamanian a steady diet of his vaunted left hook, uppercuts and right straights to emerge triumphant.

?I dedicate this to our countrymen especially those who were victims of tropical storm ?Ondoy,? said Francisco, who befuddled the two-time Panamanian world champion with his awkward stance.

?Our next target is to challenge WBA super flyweight titlist Nobou Nashiro of Japan,? said Elmer Anuran, president of the Saved by the Bell Promotion who staged the ?Battle of the Bay: First Strike? with Solar Sports.

Unfazed by Vasquez?s fearsome record (27-3, 20 KOs), the pride of Touch Gloves Boxing Gym in Agoncillo, Batangas, dominated the earlier rounds and decked Vasquez in the fifth with a lunging left hook and combination.

A native of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, Francisco jarred Vasquez with a left hook near the end of the 10th, followed by combinations that forced Vasquez?s corner to stop the fight as the bell rang.

Featherweight Michael Farrenas annexed the World Professional Boxing Federation title with a ninth round TKO against Korean Jon Ang-baek. Lightweight Al Sabaupan and light flyweight Milan Melindo won by unanimous decision over Mexicans Josafat Perez and Guadalupe Martinez, respectively. Michael Domingo also triumphed by TKO over American Jose Navarro in the 7th round.