Louie shortchanged again

Former two-time world boxing champion Luisito Espinosa was guaranteed a $4,000 purse for fighting Ever Beleno of Colombia at the Compaq Center in San Jose, California, last Thursday. But he took home only $3,085 after knocking out Beleno at 0:42 of the second round.

Espinosa’s manager Noel Rivera said he didn’t mind the financial loss but couldn’t understand why promoter Roy Englebrecht of Golden Boy Enterprises treated the Filipino so shabbily.

"Luisito has fought so many fights and he felt he was being treated very disrespectfully," said Rivera, quoted by writer Fiona Manning in the website maxboxing.com. "We tried to work this out but Roy and the (California State Athletic) Commission officials, Woody Woodard and Bobby Poncio, acted like they were academic scholars implementing the theory of relativity. They haven’t explained the missing $115."

The problem started when Espinosa tipped the scales at 133 pounds during the weigh-in the day before the bout. Englebrecht initially announced Espinosa would be fined $100 for checking in over the limit of 129 pounds "plus or minus." The penalty was later raised to $800 or 20 percent of Espinosa’s paycheck.

Espinosa shed off two pounds in 30 minutes after shadow boxing and sprinting in the parking lot of the David And Busters Restaurant where the weigh-in was held. He also sat in Rivera’s car with the heater turned on to sweat. Espinosa had two hours to reduce but went back to the scales after 30 minutes and was cleared to fight.

"If a fighter makes the weight within an hour, there is not supposed to be a fine," said Rivera. "But they insisted. Roy gave me a $25 travel voucher as if this was going to make up for it. This whole experience was extremely unpleasant. There needs to be a national Commission overseeing the state ones. This is why boxing is considered the red-light district of sports."

Commission chief inspector Dean Lohuis tried to explain the deduction but his computation came up short. He said $65 went to pay for Espinosa’s license and there were deductions for insurance and corner fees, too.

"I already have a promoter in the Philippines who owes me $130,000 which I will never see," said Espinosa. "For the (Beleno) fight, I have a contract that says 129 (pounds) plus or minus. It doesn’t say how many pounds, plus or minus. This wasn’t a title shot. What’s the big deal?"

At least, Golden Boy Enterprises owner Oscar de la Hoya was gracious. Rivera said de la Hoya confided that "he was a big fan of Luisito and that he had been inspired by him as an amateur -- that really lifted his spirits."

Rivera’s father Hermie, watching at ringside, described Espinosa’s win as swift and absolutely ruthless. He said a 10-punch barrage capped by a right to the jaw left Beleno inert for the count.

Hermie intimated that Espinosa’s next fight could be against International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion Johnny Tapia or an eliminator for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) superfeatherweight crown.