Dominique Francis (proper) lands a punch on Braian Arguello – Photograph by Nelson Quispe – Boxeo de Primera
Dominique Francis admits wanting as much as a number of fighters, however being one of the best model of himself is what’s going to make him profitable within the sport.
Francis will face Julio Carrera Lugo tonight at Adventist Well being (also called the Stockton) Area in Stockton, California. The ten-round bout will precede the principle occasion bout between light-weight contender Gabriel Flores, Jr. and Dennis Contreras.
Each fights will stream stay on BLK Prime (8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT).
At Friday’s weigh-in, each Francis and Carrera weighed in at 130.8 kilos.
The Francis-Carrera combat is an intriguing conflict between two unbeaten fighters, with the winner transferring into contender standing with a formidable victory over the opposite. Francis (15-0, 9 knockouts) believes he possesses the instruments to not solely win, however flip heads and make the junior light-weight division take discover.
“I’m a boxer-puncher, however I’m a boxer who can also be a thinker and a pugilist,” Francis informed The Ring Thursday. “I’m somebody who’s a grasp of my craft. I research and look as much as fighters like ‘Sweat Pea’ (Pernell Whitaker), Floyd (Mayweather), Sugar Ray (Leonard), Roy Jones, Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Andre Ward, Chris Algieri. They’re a grasp of their craft. They’re a grasp of their true expertise.
“I research all these guys, however I’m going to stay me. I at all times obtained me, and I’m going to proceed that Saturday.”
Francis, who resides in Opa-Locka, Florida, will sq. off towards a fighter in Carrera (18-0-1, 14 KOs), a resident of Navojoa, Mexico. Each have confronted common opposition or journeymen to date of their careers.
The 23-year-old believes he has been by way of extra adversity than Carrera, which might give him a psychological edge going into tonight’s combat.
“I don’t know an excessive amount of about my opponent,” stated Francis, who’s managed by Andrew Smith and co-trained by Derik Santos and father Smith Francis. “I can’t underestimate anybody, together with him. I’m simply going to go in there and do my finest. I’ve been doing this since 2018 as a professional.
“I’ve fought all around the world, beside the U.S. I fought in Argentina, Mexico and Colombia. I’ve confronted all kinds of fighters. I’ve had nothing on my aspect. In Argentina, I needed to wait and heat up in a tent exterior the sector that was freezing. It was 30 levels. However that’s the toughness that I would like. It strengthens and molds you right into a stronger fighter.”
Francis final fought on April 6 in Naucalpan, Mexico, defeating Uriel Lopez Juarez by unanimous determination. The win befell lower than 10 months after Francis overcame a knockdown to win a hard-fought determination over Braian Arguello, which befell in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With a deep division at 130 kilos, Francis believes he could make an announcement on the expense of Carrera and make the fighters within the division take discover.
“I’m already a contender at 130 kilos. I’m going to open their eyes although. I’m going to be like (Terence) Crawford, the place he was slept on earlier than folks started to take discover earlier in his profession. I’m placing within the work and I’m going to make an announcement with a ‘W.’ Each combat is completely different, however I’m stepping into with the mentality to win, whether or not by knockout or I don’t knock him out.
“Regardless of the opponent, I’m going to stay me. I’m at all times going to be me. That’s a successful mixture.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has lined boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He could be reached at [email protected]
