NO ONE, it seems, is owning up the failure of former WBC boxing champion Luisito Espinosa to receive until now the remaining balance of $130,349 (roughly P8 million) of his purse in his featherweight title defense against Carlos Rios, which took place more than seven years ago. Among those he is suing before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 173 are boxing promoters Rodolfo Nazario, Joselito Mondejar and Gov. Hilario de Pedro of South Cotabato.
The latest twist to this tragic tale of a former world champion who has been treated shabbily by those who took advantage of him while he was in his prime is that the defendants are now pointing an accusing finger at each other. Nazario has balked. He denies that he is responsible for Espinosa’s failure to receive his entire purse.
GUARANTEE. Both the Philippine Star and the Manila Standard came out with identical stories on Espinosa’s plight last week. They played up the denial of Nazario who claimed that he was being unjustly dragged into the case. “I never signed any document personally guaranteeing the purse of Espinosa.
It was Gov. de Pedro who personally guaranteed Espinosa’s purse. I merely ‘noted’ the alleged letter of guarantee,” Nazario said in answer to the complaint which has hibernated for more than five years.
Espinosa is trying to make ends meet as a green-card holder in mainland USA, taking odd jobs to keep body and soul together and to support a family.
Even his ailing father, Deo, needs medical attention as I write this. There is now blame-tossing on the part of the promoters of that uneventful fight on Dec. 6, 1997 in Koronadal “Rumble in the Mountains.” Espinosa’s failure to receive the balance of his purse. has practically left him to fend for himself, aided only by his lawyer.
FLOP. Nazario explained that he just accommodated the request of de Pedro and Espinosa’s Japanese manager Joe Koizumi to act as promoter because the two had no license to promote fights in the country. Nazario specifically mentioned that even Espinosa’s lawyer admitted this fact during a pre-trial hearing on Aug. 31, 2004. “Kung may nangako ni Espinosa si Gov. de Pedro yun,” Nazario said.
He added that he and former GAB chairman Dominador Cepeda only acted as witnesses tot the promissory note. The fight between Espinosa and Rios was a flop, box office-wise because of a computer glitch. Telecast transmission of that fight was interrupted and even delayed. The sponsors and the advertisers balked at paying for airtime that was not completely delivered. Espinosa retained his world title via a knockout but he was not paid his purse.
FORGOTTEN. Today, almost eight years later, Espinosa, the second Filipino to own two world championships in two different divisions, besides Dodie Boy Pe?alosa, is neglected and almost forgotten by boxing officials concerned.
Others also partly blamed him for climbing up the ring against Rios when his purse was not yet settled. Burt then, it is said that he was persuaded to fight because then president Fidel V. Ramos was also interested. Espinosa won but was left holding an empty bag.
He sulked at the indifference shown by the GAB and others. He then left with his wife and children as immigrants to the US. He found odd jobs. He also appeared in a number of bouts. But his fists were not as explosive and deadly as they were then. His fight record in the US is pathetic. He appealed to his ninong, Eduardo Cojuangco, to bankroll one more title fight for him to earn a little money. Another appeal to President GMA to help him collect the balance of his purse has not received a positive result. Will Espinosa ever get justice in his lifetime?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Pacquiao lost that fight, pure and simple, because he was not prepared enough to face a superior foe…Pacquiao, eager and brave, lost because he was incompetent.” – PDI sports columnist Recah Trinidad in his May 16 column “Bare Eye,” recalling Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Erik Morales two months ago in Las Vegas
