Panama’s WBA No. 2 ranked super flyweight Ricardo “El Matematico” Nunez has brushed aside No.3 ranked Filipino Drian Francisco”s prediction of a knockout victory in six or seven rounds in their “Battle At the Bay” at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City on Saturday, claiming his speed and power will overwhelm the hometown favorite. Speaking through well-known boxing fan Carlos Costa of Team Nunez, the 22 year old Panamanian who boasts of a 17-1 record with 15 knockouts said he is “in excellent shape, excellent condition and ready to go the distance if he has to” citing the fact that he had trained for the Francisco showdown for three months.
Nunez said he had “power in both hands as well as speed” but that he had more power in his left and is currently working to build power in his right hand. He said “he will try to set him (Francisco) up for a knockout and if he sees an opening he will not hesitate to go for a knock out but he is also conditioned to go twelve rounds” if he needs to.The fight card promoted by Solar Sports will be telecast on RPN 9 as well as the Solar Sports channel on Sunday.
Referring to the 10th round TKO loss of former world champion Robert Vaszquez to Francisco last year, Nunez said “Vasquez had no discipline and he doesn’t have any love for boxing” which he stressed is just the oppositie with him. Nunez proved his worth when he administered a severe beating on veteran Juan Francisco Centeno to win the FEDELATIN title with a 3rd round TKO on November 27, 2009, dropping Centeno five times in a brutally one-sided bout before the referee mercifully stepped in and called a halt.
In taking the fight against the 27 year old Francisco who is nicknamed “Gintong Kamao “or the “Golden Fist” who has a record of 18-0-1 with 14 knockouts, the Panamanian is seeking to avenge the loss of his countryman Vasquez last October 3 in a fight where Francisco won the vacant WBA International title. Prior to that Francisco who has sometimes been compared to two-division world champion Luisito Espinosa because of his fighting style scored a 2nd round knockout Sharil Fabanyo on April 19, 2009.
The Solar Sports presentation of the Battle of the Young Guns at the Ynares Sports Center on April 17 in Pasig City promises to be an exciting showdown and Francisco has promised to win by a knockout before seven rounds conceding that while Nunez may have the edge in speed he has the advantage in power.
Francisco who said he has sparred over 200 rounds said he used an unorthodox style against Vasquez but would return to his usual style in the fight against Nunez when fight fans named him “The Little Espinosa” in reference to the former two-division world champion.
