ILL-ADVISED LUISITO FACES MONGOLIAN “KILLER!”
When I was with the San Francisco Police Dept., I worked in a number of stations, assignments, etc. For better than a year I was assigned to the “Community Relations” unit, this until I went against a cop who had assaulted a 106 lb. boxer at the Police gym. And while I was working in Community Relations for the Latin community, Joe Robles was acting in that capacity for the Filipino population of San Francisco. He was naive I thought, but Joe was a nicer than nice guy that got things done in his own way.
S.F. COP NOW MANAGES LUISITO ESPINOSA!
Yesterday afternoon, while attending the “Best Damn Night Of Olympians” weigh in at the San Jose Hilton, I was approached by Robles whom I hadn’t seen in many years. We shook hands, and then he dropped a bomb on me when I asked him what he was doing there? “I am the manager of Luisito Espinosa.” To that, and with San Jose Mercury News writer Dylan Hernandez standing beside me, I said. “What are you trying to do? Get a 38-year old man killed?”
STICK TO POLICE REPORTS & TICKETS!
I explained to Robles that Lakva Sim, Espinosa’s opponent in this scheduled eight rounder, (of whom Robles knew nothing about) that he was not only a natural lightweight, but an ex-champion at 135 lbs. as well! Luisito on the other hand, he is a tall a bantamweight (118). The fact that he had been brutalized by the “ordinary” Cristobal Cruz in February, and that he had lost four of his last six bouts since 2001, and ALL by knockout! None of this would dissuade Robles, as I tried to get him to pull Espinosa from the card.
CALIFORNIA ATHLETIC COMMISSION STEPS IN!
Obviously prompted by my column of Tuesday, in that I was fearful of Espinosa really getting hurt, the California State Athletic Commission has cut the fight (see slaughter) from eight rounds to six. In addition, somebody close to the promotion told me that the referee, that he would be keeping a close eye on Espinosa. Should things even begin to appear to get ugly, I’m told they’ll stop the fight in a second!
ESPINOSA’S PEOPLE THREATENING!
And while it wasn’t Robles himself, somebody in association with Espinosa has been sending daunting emails, and phone calls of a similar nature to www.RingTalk.com writer Jason “The Pinoy” Aniel. They are saying that if the fight is called off, that Team Espinosa will be filing suit, and charging that I am attempting to deny Espinosa the right to fight! According to “The Pinoy,” Espinosa has been told at the 11th hour that he must take an MRI before he can box. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.
GOVERNMENT & ROD NAZARIO SCREWED “KING LOUIE?”
When Luisito fought Carlos Rios in the Philippines in 1997, he was guaranteed a $150,000 payday. Rios, he had his money before he stepped in the ring. Luisito, then managed by Japan’s Joe Koizumi, he was never paid! And more than one story said that Koizumi, when he said he wouldn’t send Luisito out to box without first being paid, that somebody pushed a gun in his ribs. The crowd of better than 100,000, they saw “King Louie” fight for the last time on Philippine soil, win by KO in six, and yet he never got paid! Never!
ALL PINOYS/PINAYS (FILIPINOS) SHOULD BE “ASHAMED!”
And while I’ve been told my favorite Filipino turd Rod Nazario, even though he was involved with the Espinosa-Rios promotion, that it was in actuality the Philippine Government that had guaranteed the $150,000 purse that Luisito never received! A national hero like Espinosa, he shouldn’t be fighting at 38 years, this seeing time has eroded his skills, if not his will. Let’s just hope and pray that nothing happens to “King Louie” tonight! For the record, Espinosa is 47-13, with 26 KO’s. The Mongolian Sim, he has a record of 20-4-1, with 17 early wins!
Pedro Fernandez
