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Philippines, 25 Nov 2024 |
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Luisito “Lindol” Espinosa: STILL PUNCHIN’ By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Thu, 19 Oct 2023  October 18, 1989 'Twas the day of the great San Francisco (Loma Prieta) earthquake—a magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter scale that paralyzed the entire SF Bay Area, resulting in 3,800 injuries, 63 deaths, and collective damages exceeding $6 billion. The temblor jolted our lives and halted the Game 3 of the World Series of baseball between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics at Candlestick Park. Half a world away, just a few hours before the force of nature struck, the WBA bantamweight world title fight between hometown Thai hero Khaokor Galaxy and Filipino challenger Luisito Espinosa concluded at the famed Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. 
“Three cataclysmic lefts—a jab, a hook to the liver, punctuated by a hook to the Thai champion’s right ear drum—catapulted Louie to the stratosphere,” my late father Hermie Rivera once related in an overseas call… “Hinimatay yung kalaban (The opponent passed out)…A delayed reaction left Khaokor Galaxy out cold, and the referee did not bother to count.” 
“I just wanted to check up on you. I just got word at The Chronicle that Louie has won the bantamweight crown.” Jack Fiske said. “Tell your dad and Luisito, congratulations. The Philippines must be proud.” Jack Fiske of the SF Chronicle and Al Corona of the SF Examiner were a few of my father’s closest friends who called because of care and concern. 
Said Al Corona of the SF Examiner: "We have news from Thailand. Luisito Espinosa knocked out Galaxy in one round. Send Hermie and Luisito our best.” For the record, it was the late Al Corona who came up with the timely nom de guerre for the first Filipino--and one of only seven fighters in the history of boxing since 1892--to win the bantamweight and featherweight crowns. "They call him 'The Earthquake,'” wrote Al Corona of Luisito Espinosa in his column the next day. 
For the record, Mr. Espinosa was the first Filipino and one of only seven fighters in the history of boxing since 1890 to win the bantamweight (118 pounds) and featherweight (126 pounds) world championships. Espinosa’s Best performances: • KO 1, Kaokor Galaxy, WBA bantamweight championship (Bangkok, Thailand) • TKO 8, Hurley Snead, defense WBA bantamweight championship (Bangkok, Thailand) • UD 12, Thanomsak Sithboabay, defense WBA bantamweight championship (Bangkok, Thailand) • KO 1, Raul Perez, WBC Featherweight Championship (Tokyo, Japan) • KO 6, Carlos Rios, WBC Featherweight Championship (Koronadal, South Cotabato) • UD 12, Manuel Medina (Tokyo, Japan) and TD8 (Manila Bay, Philippines), WBC Featherweight Championship • KO 4, Alejandro ‘Cobrita’ Gonzalez, WBC Featherweight Championship (Guadalajara, Mexico) Curriculum vitae: • Athlete of the Year (Philippine Sports Writers Association) WBC Featherweight Champion (December 1995- May 1999, 7 defenses) • WBA Bantamweight Champion (October 1989-October 1991, 2 defenses) • California Bantamweight Champion (1988) • WBC Mundo Hispano Champion (February 1993) • Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Awards Night, Honoree for His Achievements in Boxing 
We will never forget the devastating 1989 quake which was considered the strongest since the 1906 catastrophe, and we will always remember Espinosa— then the first Bay Area world boxing champion since Carl “Bobo” Olson who was the World Middleweight champion between October 1953 and December 1955, as Jack Fiske once revealed to Hermie Rivera. 
(Painting courtesy of Carl Roberts) Luisito Espinosa deserves a tremendous debt of gratitude and commensurate help in any shape or form for everything he has achieved in and out of the squared circle. He has recently revealed to PhilBoxing.com that he is back in the place where he was reared— “Pangarap Village” they call it…a haven of hope and grinding poverty. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel Rivera, RRT.  |
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