CAUTION is the key as Manny Pacquiao weighs the offer from former two-time world champion Luisito Espinosa to work as his sparmate.
First question first: Can Luisito survive the bombs Pacquiao will unleash with abandon in trying to load up for his revenge fight against Mexican ring great Erik Morales?
Baka mamatay siya (He could get killed). That, exactly, was the initial worry sounded out by Pacquiao when he heard of Espinosa’s offer to be part of his training staff for the Morales rematch.
It was Pacquiao’s right to ask. If he, for example, ends up pulling his punches to save Luisito from undue harm, that part of the preparation procedure would be a total trash.
Pacquiao can’t soft-pedal now. He definitely needs all the solid support for what has loomed as the biggest fight of his rich career.
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Of course, while asking whether or not Luisito would be up to the task, Pacquiao did not shun the fact that Espinosa, now stranded in a friend’s garage in California after being abandoned by his wife, has also been rendered penniless.
Word has reached us that Pacquiao, other than buy Luisito a choice seat at the Staples Center on September 11, when three Filipino boxers carved out a historic 3-for-3 knockout masterpiece in California, later fished out a bundle of green bucks to send off Espinosa.
Being on the receiving end of a knockout artist’s fury, needless to say, is one the cruelest ways to earn a little.
If taken in by Pacquiao, Luisito would be reduced to a punching bag, long after his proud days inside the ring are over.
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Of course, in forcing the over-the-hill former world boxing king back into the brutal business, his backers claimed Luisito could be of great help to Pacquiao technically.
Not only is Luisito as tall as Morales. He could lend Pacquiao some deep secrets of the trade, unlike previous sparmates.
But should these additional fight inputs be reason enough to expose Luisito to what Pacquiao had called real dangers?
These admirers of the former champ should be commended for their concern.
But the way they sounded, these friends who have been trying to peddle Luisito to Team Pacquiao seemed to have no other choice. They just have to help Luisito. Period.
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Now, this is not the case with a group that has lined up a stellar fight card to raise funds for Luisito Espinosa’s legal battle against those who cheated him of his multimillion-peso purse when he defended his world featherweight title in Koronadal City in 1996.
Hermie Rivera, who discovered and developed Espinosa into a world champion, could not aptly express his gratitude to people like Governor Manny Pi?ol of North Cotabato and Joe Robles, a Fil-Am cop in San Francisco, California, who now acts as Luisito’s manager and agent. These two are behind the card called “Fight for Love” whose proceeds would go to Espinosa.
Said Pi?ol: “I’m sure there’ll be no motorcade or a grand welcome party when Luisito comes home from the United States for the promotion in his benefit at the San Andres Civic and Sports Arena in Manila.”
But, Pi?ol added, Luisito will return to the arms of people who genuinely love him.
The benefit, slated on October 29, features a Philippine championship and five other bouts involving top fighters from Pi?ol’s Braveheart Stable against nationally rated rivals.
Pi?ol said they were targeting at least P500,000 in proceeds, with the help of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza who has lent the venue and also waived the city amusement tax.
Robles is in the forefront of moves to have Luisito be present during the stellar card. Take note that Luisito’s miseries were not self-inflicted. He got gypped.
Kindly find time to honor Luisito, who has given the Philippines many proud moments in the international boxing stage, by coming to the fight.
It’s a way of assuring this jilted sports hero, who has risked his life in the name of national glory, that the Filipino still knows how to say thank you, despite the widespread oppression, runaway lying and corruption prevailing in our poor, cheated nation.
