YAHIR FRANK
Age: 21
Hometown: Ciudad Obregon, Mexico
Weight class: flyweight
Height: 5-foot-3 (163 cm)
Amateur record: 95-25
Turned pro: 2020
Pro record: 17-0 (12 knockouts)
Trainer: Alfredo Caballero
Manager: Alfredo Caballero
Promoter: Mario Abraham (Max Boxing)
Instagram: @yahir_frank

Best night of pro career and why: Frank believes his most recent performance against a previously unbeaten opponent is his best yet.

“My challenger, the Colombian boxer, Bairon Rodriguez (10-0, 6 KOs), had very [good] speed and [was] smart, but I had good preparation and determination to win,” Frank told The Ring. “It was a good fight and I learnt a lot inside the ring.”

via Donde Ver Box Mexico on YouTube:

Frank first caught the eyes of Mexican insiders when, as an 18-year-old underdog, he took Ivan Garcia’s undefeated record (7-0, 3 KOs).

“It is well known that [Garcia] was a strong fighter and I knocked him out impressively,” Frank recalled. “It was important for me; it was a fight everybody thought I would lose because Ivan Garcia was a good prospect with a good record.

“The plan was to work the body first. The moment of the knockout was a good hook to the body and then I went up with the left hook and knocked him out in Round 4.”

Frank vs. Garcia KO via Osvaldo Peralta on YouTube:

It should also be noted that he gained valuable experience against savvy former world title challenger Carlos Buitrago (UD 10) earlier this year.

Worst night of pro career and why: The 21-year-old is an attack-minded fighter and is largely happy with how things have gone so far though admits to being disappointed when he’s not able to stop his opponents.

“All the fights that went the distance,” he said. “I went up to bantamweight to fight and the opponents have a better opportunity because of the weight. It was complicated for me to fight a bigger guy, that is why I don’t like those fights. It was an advantage for my opponents. I feel better at flyweight.”

Frank vs. Mejia (first-round stoppage) via Zanfer Boxing on YouTube:

What’s Next: Frank faces Jayr Raquinel at home in Hermosillo on October 5. Raquinel (16-2-1, 13 KOs) is an experienced 10-year veteran, who has fought outside his native Philippines in Japan, China South Africa and Thailand with success.

The 27-year-old southpaw is a former OPBF flyweight titlist and holds impressive road wins over Takuya Kogawa (TKO 8), Landile Ngxeke TKO 2) and faded former world title challenger Komgrich Nantapech (TKO 2).

Why he’s a prospect: Frank had over 100 amateur contests, which is quite unusual in Mexican circles. He fought at local and state level, where he won regional titles. That gave him a basic grounding before he switched to the professional side of the sport in 2020

He has gained invaluable experience spending time and sparring with two-weight world champion Juan Francisco Estrada.

The opportunity to share the ring with one of the modern day greats isn’t lost on him.

“It’s one of the best experiences I had in boxing,” he said. “Estrada is a great technical fighter – a great fighter. He has good punches to the body. He moves a lot in the ring.

“In general, I felt good but when ‘Gallo’ Estrada started moving, it was complicated for me. Gallo told me, I need to be a better technical fighter and improve my side steps to have better opportunities in the fights.”

Frank feels a few things set him apart from the competition.

“My hook, my concentration and my co-ordination,” he said. “Hitting to the body is one of the best things in the ring because you are softening up your opponent and then you go for the finish.”

Frank says he enjoys throwing punches to the body, which he did aplenty vs. Rodriguez. (Photo courtesy of Zanfer)

His trainer, Alfredo Caballero, who is famed for this work with former WBC 130-pound titleholder Miguel Berchelt, as well as Estrada, says his fighter has the key skills that will take him a long way.

“Yahir Frank is an amazing boxer,” noted Caballero. “He’s very strong, with power in both hands and very smart.”

It bodes well for him that he is working with a successful trainer like Caballero and is able to spend time with Estrada.

(Photo courtesy of Zanfer)

Frank is promoted by Mario Abraham of Max Boxing, who formed the company in 2010 and works closely with Fernando Beltran’s Zanfer Promotions. Abraham has been around boxing since he was a child and is ingratiated in the scene in southern Mexico.

“My father [managed] four world champions, Guty Espadas, Freddy Castillo, Juan Herrera and Lupe Madera,” he explained. “In that time there were only two organizations and fewer weight divisions. I have had two world champions, Guty Espadas Jr. and Miguel Berchelt.”

Abraham is able to draw from that experience and knows what to look for in a fighter.

“I think Yahir is the whole package,” said Abraham. “[He’s a] very hard puncher, [good] resistance, good defense, skill, very disciplined.

“He only needs more experience and his next fight against a world-ranked Filipino will tell us a lot.”

Why he’s a suspect: Frank seems to have developed nicely and is in the process of moving from prospect to contender. At this point no glaring holes have shown up though Frank acknowledges in the past he has been reckless and not fought in a controlled manner.

“Years ago, I was a very different fighter,” he said. “I went [into fights] without thinking and we have worked a lot in the gym to improve that. I think better now and stand in the center of the ring thinking.”

He believes that will help him pick his punches better and become a more complete professional.

via Donde Ver Box Mexico on YouTube:

“I have to work more on my straight punches and uppercuts,” he said. “I don’t throw a lot of straight punches and uppercuts. I always throw the hook and big punches. I don’t throw a lot of jabs but I’m working on that.

“In defense, I receive a lot of straight punches but every fight I receive it’s less. I’m improving every fight.”

Caballero says his young charge needs to work on two things: “His defense and in throwing more uppercuts.” 

Storylines: Frank, who is the youngest of four brothers, was born and raised in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora but is of Asian descent.

“Like every childhood, I had happy and difficult moments,” he said. “My parents always looked after me and my brothers.”

However, he often had street fights and that saw him take up boxing at a young age.

“I had a cousin who trained boxing and my uncle put me in the gym,” he said of his introduction to the sport. “I arrived and he put me in a fight and I liked it – I was only 7 years old.”

(Photo courtesy of Zanfer)

There are two boxing icons that he looks up to.

“I really like Mike Tyson because of his aggressiveness and wanting to take the head off whoever they put on him,” he revealed. “And then Julio César Chávez because of his technique and his hook.”

​The Mexican has one short term target but hopes that moves him onto the next objective.

“I want to fight for a regional title and have strong opponents so people can know my name,” he said. “I want to fight the best names in my division and go up in the rankings and to have a good opportunity for a title soon.

“I want to be a world champion and to be one of the best Mexican fighters.”

Frank lives in Hermosillo but maintains a strong relationship with his family, who are nearly 150 north in Ciudad Obregon.

“My parents are in Obregon, when I get the chance, I visit them,” he said. “I always have a good time talking about all the things they’ve done while I’m not in town. Also, with my brothers, I have a good relationship. I love to spend time with my family.”

He also enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, running, going to the cinema or staying home and watching movies.

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected].

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