INQUIRER Sports

ASK him a question and he gives you an answer. Straightforward and with a lot of sense, too.

Indeed, Drian Francisco is a rarity in the often two-faced world of the sweet talk. He salivates at the thought that he just might be the next Manny Pacquiao, but unlike most Filipino pugs, he has something that’s quite a novelty in this field.

The 26-year-old fighter who looks good enough to be an action star, has a Commerce degree from the Colegio de San Sebastian in his hometown in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.

Then, there’s his boxing style that ranges from devastating and arrgh, to comical.

Wrote grizzled Recah Trinidad in his widely-read Bare Eye column in the Inquirer. “It was the first time [people] witnessed a victory of that strange sort. It was also the first time they saw a boxer as undefinable as Francisco.”

Trinidad and his son Chino joined screaming fans in watching Francisco demolish the highly-favored and former two-time world champion Panamanian Roberto Vasquez to win the WBA super flyweight international title last October 3 at the windswept Cuneta Astrodome.

Dubbed as the “Golden Fists” after piling an immaculate mark of 16 wins against a draw prior to the Vasquez bout, Francisco didn’t show any jitters.

“The Vasquez bout is designed to make the international boxing scene aware of the Golden Fists. Drian passed the test with flying colors,” exclaimed Elmer Anuran, president of Saved by the Bell Promotions, which dubbed the bout “Battle at the Bay: First Strike.”

Anuran said Saved by the Bell was trying to lure reigning WBA titleholder Nobou Nashiro of Japan or newly-crowned IBF champion Simphiwe Nongqayi of South Africa into defending their titles against Francisco early next year.

Though he was sometimes guilty of punching blind against Vasquez, Francisco provoked a hum of anticipation everytime he planted his left hooks and a combination of fistwork on the Panamanian, who looked befuddled when under attack.

“I box to win. Losing in front of my countrymen is out of the question.I knew the importance of this fight and I didn’t want to dissapoint,” said Francisco, whose considerable charm made him a crowd favorite.

Definitely the talk of the town the day after his victory, Francisco never failed to mention the influence of his father and former pro boxer Diomedes who piled a respectable 26 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw mark during his prime.

“I owe a lot from my father and my mother Loyalyn who supported me during bad and good times. They never tired of telling me to have a good education which, they said, should help me If i didn’t succeed in boxing,” said Francisco, who started boxing at the age of nine.

Perched on the edge of the seats at ringside, Diomedes and Loyalyn didn’t mind getting hoarse-voiced cheering for their son as he pummeled Vasquez. “It was a huge fight for Drian. Now the world knows about him,” said Diomedes, who quit fighting in 1981 and now offers free boxing lessons to kids in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

Like his father, Francisco was aggresive and more than willing to mix it up when necessary. He’s proven hard to hit and pin down despite his puzzling habit of dropping his arms to his hips as if daring his foe to hit him. People who see him agree that Francisco is a boxer straight out of the box.

Noted Trinidad: “The thing here is that, although he was an incomplete boxer, Francisco, matinee-idol looks and all, was able to deliver a full theater -- complete with drama, suspense, and comedy, too.”

Thankfully, his new-found fame doesn’t unnerve Francisco. “One can easily be forgotten,” he said humbly. “I know I have a long way to go. If I fail, I can always use my college degree and be content that in my own way I was able to make others happy.” •