The Story of a boxing legend: Luisito Espinosa Philippines

"Defeat Is An Orphan"spinosa

by Manny Pinol

PhilBoxing.com
05 Jun 2011




"Victory has many fathers, defeat is an orphan."

This famous line attributed to Italian Count Galleazo Ciano and later echoed by US President John F. Kennedy following the Bay of Pigs fiasco, aptly defines the situation that former two-division world champion Luisito Espinosa is in now.

This Tondo-born champion gave the country honors by winning the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight title with a "phantom punch" that knocked out Thai champion Khaokor Galaxy in the first round of their fight in Thailand in 1989 and when he won the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown by decision over Manuel Medina in 1995.

But hardly anybody remembers Louie now or cares about the moments of joy he gifted his countrymen during the time he was King of the Ring.

Alone, forgotten and abandoned even by his wife, Louie, who now works as a stockroom assistant in a COSTCO branch in the Bay Area, said in a recent interview by sports editor Eddie Alinea that he has been granted a US Green Card and plans to come home to the Philippines soon to visit his children by estranged wife, Marie Cherie.

I remember Louie as a lanky young flyweight who came to the old L & M Gym on Paquita St. in Sampaloc along with his father, Dio, a kitchen help in Malacanang Palace. He often sparred with Pretty Boy Lucas, a boxer managed by my friend Tony Banta of Malabon.

He became a national sports hero when he won the WBA bantamweight title and defended it several times before losing it to Israel Contreras.

A few years later, he came back winning the WBC featherweight title.

Those were the years when everybody wanted to be seen beside Louie Espinosa, the world champion, including a pretty Tourism aide, Marie Cherie, whom he married after a whirlwind romance. She later abandoned him.

Louie's problems started when he was asked to defend his WBC title in Koronadal, South Cotabato against Argentinian Carlos Rios in December of 1997. At that time, he was being managed by Japanese boxing impressario Joe Koizumi.

Then Governor Hilario de Pedro III worked with the late Rodolfo Nazario, Koizumi and then GAB Chairman Dominador Cepeda to stage the first world championship bout in the Southern Mindanao province supposedly to showcase the progress of South Cotabato.

All that it gave South Cotabato was a blackeye and a sullied reputation as the province where the Filipino world boxing champion was not paid his purse, until now!

Fourteen years after he fought Rios, Louie Espinosa still has to be paid about $120,000, roughly P6 million, by the promoters who kept on pointing fingers at each other, blaming each other for the promotions disaster.

A few fights after that, Louie lost his title in a return match to Mexican Cesar Soto and then he got stuck in a veritable quicksand after which he ended up with almost nothing.

Now, Louie is trying to rebuild his life and working hard to win a court battle that has dragged for years in a Manila Trial Court which is ironic since fighters are supposed to enjoy an advantage fighting in his own turf..

Nobody cares. Gone are the familiar faces like the ones you see squeezing into the tiny frame of the televsion cameras so they could be seen with a boxing champions like Manny Pacquiao.

I was never involved in the professional career of Louie Espinosa but I believe that his case must now be given attention.

This is too much of an injustice and the incumbent Mayor of Manila, Fred Lim, who is known to fight for the oppressed and the victims of injustice, must crack the whip and make sure that the Manileno boxing champion gets his purse from a fight held 14 years ago.

Espinosa does not need a motorcade when he comes home or a financial incentive of P1-million like what the City of Manila gives to Adopted Sons of Manila like Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, Jr.

All that he is asking for is justice. All that he dreams of is to be able to collect the prize money that is rightfully and morally his.

With that, he will be able to provide a better future for himself and for his children.

This article also appears at the Manila Times. 

http://philboxing.com/news/columns.php?aid=609&id=55972