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REMEMBER
Luisito Espinosa?
One of
the country’s former two-division world champion is in
town after staying in the United States for 10 years.
“Masaya
ako at nakabalik ako dito sa bansa natin. Nakakatuwa
dahil nakita ko ulit ’yung mga tao na nakilala ko nu’ng
world champion pa ako,” Espinosa told the
BusinessMirror.
Espinosa
left the country in early 1998 after he was not paid for
his successful world-title defense against Carlos Rios
in December 1997 in Koronadal, South Cotabato.
“Sana mabayaran
na ako kasi pinaghirapan ko din naman ’yun. Ang
hinihingi ko lang naman ay ’yung kung ano ang dapat para
sa akin,”
said Espinosa.
Espinosa
attended Tuesday night’s eighth Annual Flash Elorde
Banquet of Champions awards night highlighted by the
enshrinement of current boxing idol Manny Pacquiao as
the event’s first-ever Hall of Famer. He arrived
unnoticed Monday morning from San Francisco, the same
time Pacquiao arrived in the country from
Los Angeles.
“Wala
ngang nakakilala sa kanya nung dumating, probably
because all eyes were on Manny, who arrived almost the
same time as Louie,” said Liza Elorde, wife of the late
Elorde’s son Johnny, who was instrumental in inviting
Espinosa over.
Espinosa, however, said he felt the adoration of his
countrymen when dozens of autograph-seekers approached
him during the awards night.
“Nagpapasalamat
ako at may nakakakilala pa sa akin. Sa pakiramdam ko
hindi pa din nasayang ’yung hirap ko para mabigyan ng
karangalan ang bansa natin,” said Espinosa.
Espinosa
plans to pursue his case currently pending at the sala
of Judge Rosario Cruz of the Manila Regional Trial Court
Branch 173 involving his unpaid fight purse of $150,000.
Respondents of the case are fight promoter Rod Nazario,
matchmaker Lito Mondejar and former South Cotabato
governor Hilario de Pedro.
The
agreement states that as promoter, Nazario “guarantees
the purse of $150,000 and training expenses of $10,000
for Luisito Espinosa.”
It was
signed by Nazario, Espinosa’s manager Joe Koizumi and a
certain Jose Pring Jr., representing de Pedro.
Part of
the documents presented by Espinosa’s lawyer Dennis
Manzanal was a Letter of Guarantee signed by de Pedro
and Nazario, endorsed by then-Games and Amusement Board
chairman Dominador Cepeda.
When the
case was actively heard sometime in 2005, Nazario
reiterated his argument that he merely accommodated
Koizumi and de Pedro, as both of them had no domestic
license to promote the fight.
Espinosa, 41, won the World Boxing Association
bantamweight crown in October 1989 by stopping legendary
local legend Khaokor Galaxy in a single round in
Thailand, then annexed the World Boxing Council (WBC)
featherweight championship via 12-round decision win
over Mexican Manuel
Medina in December 1995.
Espinosa
defended the WBC belt seven times in a span of nearly
four years before losing the belt via controversial
12-round decision to another Mexican, Cesar Soto in May
1999, in
El Paso,
Texas.
Now
working as a stockman in Cosco, the green-card holder
Espinosa ended his illustrious career with a record of
47-13, with 26 knockouts. |
