Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Lil Warrior victorious at Spotlight 29!
Youth title win makes Franco a contender
Monday, June 1, 2009By DAVID A. AVILA
Special to The Press-Enterprise
Moving up in weight didn't affect Riverside's Michael "Lil Warrior" Franco one iota as he crushed Juan Beltran in winning the WBC Youth junior featherweight title Saturday at the American Sports University in San Bernardino.
"He (Michael Franco) was a little slow but maybe because he was fighting on the main event," said Al Franco, his father and trainer.
In front of more than 800 fans, Franco (15-0, 10 KOs), a bantamweight prospect, looked like a 21st-century version of Danny "Little Red" Lopez as he methodically decimated Mexico's Beltran (19-13-3).
It was impressive.
For those not familiar with Lopez, he was a former featherweight world champion managed by Riverside's Bennie Georgino during the 1970s and '80s.
Lopez, who now lives in Chino Hills, was a crushing fighter who became a television sensation with his dramatic come-from-behind knockouts against Mike Ayala, David Kotey and Ruben Olivares. He was always "in the fight," which in boxing vernacular means he was capable of winning even while being out-boxed by opponents.
Franco is similar to Lopez. Both are tall and lanky for their respective weight classes. And like Little Red, Lil Warrior can be losing a fight but take care of matters decisively with his right or left hand.
Beltran is accustomed to facing bigger boxers in the 122-pound class. So when he was offered the bout against the undefeated Riverside bantamweight, he gladly took it. The Mexican veteran had not been stopped or knocked out in five years and felt confident it wasn't going to happen against a kid from California.
Franco, who usually fights at 118 pounds, willingly allowed Beltran to fight at 122 for the vacant WBC Youth title, and though there was a weight difference, he plowed through it.
"I could feel the difference in his strength," said Franco, who was more deliberate than usual in the first round. "He surprised me with his movement, too. I didn't expect him to fight that way."
Franco expected Beltran to come forward at ramming speed like most Mexican fighters from Los Mochis. But Beltran was obviously warned that Franco's power was not just hype.
A wicked left hook to the body by Franco caused Beltran's eyes to bug out momentarily during the second round, and the match became more of a chase. But Franco's long reach and willingness to take incoming punches to dish out his own blows proved the difference in the fight. Everything worked as he began pummeling the Mexican fighter from post to post.
At the end of the third round it was obvious Franco was too strong and too powerful. Referee Tony Crebs allowed the fight to continue in the third round despite a 12-punch barrage that sent Beltran to his knees. But after 38 seconds of Franco blasting Beltran, the referee stopped the lopsided fight in the fourth round.
The win could make Franco a main-event boxer and a possible contender for a world title within a year or two. Franco joins the ranks of Inland area fighters such as Shane Mosley, Timothy Bradley, Chris Arreola, Antonio Diaz, Josesito Lopez and Dominic Salcido, who were all groomed in the area and talented enough to vie for a world championship match. Mosley and Bradley currently hold world titles in their respective weight divisions.
"We'll see what's next," Al Franco said. "We hope to get him four or five more fights this year."
Could Franco be the next Danny "Little Red" Lopez?
Time will tell.
