Sporting Chance

MERIDA -- Luisito Espinosa never planned to slug it out against Guty Espadas, Jr. but the switch in strategy was his only chance to neutralize the rangy Mexican in their battle for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title before 5,000 fans at the Poliforum Zanma dome here Friday night (yesterday in Manila).

So the fight turned into a brawl.

Espinosa realized he'd be a sitting duck if he fought from long range because of Espadas' reach advantage.

For a while, the trick worked. As Espinosa made the crucial adjustment, Espadas looked confused -- because of the switch, he lost his range. That almost turned the tables on the Mexican who repeatedly sought referee Richard Steele's help in keeping Espinosa from boring in.

"Hindi niya ako matamaan noong dinikitan ko siya," said Espinosa. But it also had its pitfalls. Espinosa couldn't mount a sustained attack because he, too, had little distance to leverage his punches.

When the bell for the 10th round rang, Espinosa's father Dio told his son what he expected to hear -- he would lose if he couldn't score a knockout. That's exactly what happened.

Espinosa had no excuses after the fight. He accepted defeat although he couldn't believe the margins in the judges' scorecards. Marty Denkin, who caused Gerry Penalosa's loss to In Joo Cho in Seoul early this year, lived up to his reputation as the Philippines scourge. He scored it 110-98 for Espadas -- a whopping 12-point margin. Either Denkin has an eyesight problem or he's a crook. Both John Keane and Chuck Hassett saw it 108-99 for identical nine-point margins.

From the scorecards, you'd think it wasn't close. You'd think Espadas beat Espinosa to a pulp. Not so. Espadas was a picture of disaster when he was declared the new champion. His face was swollen like a grotesque mask. His eyes were almost shut. And he had an assortment of cuts on his face. Espinosa showed only a welt on his forehead.

I scored the fight at ringside and saw it a draw, 104-all. Espinosa's one-point deduction, however, tilted the balance.

Denkin smiled wryly as he walked out of the stadium. "If you compare fighting ability, Espinosa's so much better than Espadas but he didn't have the legs to keep from getting hit," said Denkin.

"Hindi naman siguro nakakahiya 'yung pinakita ko," said Espinosa. "Bumagsak ako ng first round -- tumama pa ang ulo ko sa lona. Hindi ako sumuko. Nilabanan ko siya ng puspusan. Wala lang ako sa timing. Marami akong maling ginawa. Kulang sa footwork, kulang sa jab. Wala akong balance."

Espinosa blamed a left shoulder pull for failing to throw his usually reliable left jab.

"Ayaw ko lang sabihin before the fight kasi baka malaman ni Espadas na may tama ako sa balikat," he said.

A month ago, a masseur snapped Espinosa's left shoulder and it was never the same again. He kept it secret from trainer Robert Aguallo because he didn't know if he would blab it out. Espinosa's father Dio, who has had differences of opinion in training tactics with Aguallo, said he never trusted the Mexican.

Espinosa also said he failed to limber up before climbing the ring. Bandaging his fists took nearly an hour and when he began to stretch, it was time to fight. But it was no excuse.

"Magaling si Espadas -- hindi siya na-intimidate," said Espinosa. Still, he felt he could've done better. It wasn't the long layoff and it isn't his age. Perhaps, it was Aguallo's style. Maybe, it was the crash diet leading to the fight. Or he could've overtrained in the gym.

Whatever the reason, Espinosa has lots of time to think things out before deciding what to do next.