HOLLYWOOD, California ? At around 8 p.m. of Saturday, as Manny Pacquiao was preparing to go to bed, his mobile phone rang.
On the other end was the cash-strapped Luisito Espinosa, who is coming off a devastating knockout loss in the city of Stockton. Espinosa had sought after Pacquiao?s contact number as early as four weeks back, but it was only late this week when the former world bantamweight and featherweight king got hold of the Pacman?s number.
“I told him to come over to Las Vegas and watch my fight (against Erik Morales) on March 19,” Pacquiao told this writer and another scribe from a Manila-based broadsheet.
“He told me that he will be joined by his wife,” said Pacquiao, who failed to make it clear whether the wife Espinosa is referring to is Mariecherie.
Immediately after Espinosa was knocked out by Cristobal Cruz of Mexico on Feb. 18, it was reported that Mariecherie had already decided to leave the 37-year-old fighter. The couple?s three kids, John Louie, Janica and Louise, are already under the care of Lilia, the mother of Mariecherie, who is living in Singalong, Manila.
An aide of Pacquiao said Espinosa, who reigned as World Boxing Association bantam and World Boxing Council (WBC) feather boss, got the correct contact number of Pacquiao from Gerry Penalosa, an ex-world champ training in Florida, who is close with Pacquiao.
Espinosa, who turned professional in 1984, has been living in the US, mainly in the Bay Area, since mid-1998.
Espinosa made a fortune during his reign as WBC 126-lb king but his successful defense against Argentinian Carlos Rios in Dec. 1997 in Koronadal, South Cotabato, became infamous because he failed to collect his purse of $130,349 from the promoters.
Espinosa was paid a measly $3,000 after being knocked out by Cruz.
