Louie in dire straits?

There is disturbing unconfirmed news from the US about two-time world boxing champion Luisito Espinosa’s plight.

Somebody whispered that Espinosa’s wife Marie Cherie has abandoned the fighter in the Bay Area and their three children are now living in Manila with their grandmother. Another said he continues fighting not only to put food on the table but also to keep his hopes alive for naturalization because his application is based on a claim of "special talent" which is boxing.

But a family source denied the rumors, claiming the Espinosas are still together.

What’s certain is Espinosa is past his prime. Last month, he returned to the ring only to be flattened by Cristobal Cruz in Stockton. Espinosa never threatened the Mexican who was only seven years old when the Filipino turned pro. He was decked in the first round, barely survived and went out like a light in the third. His purse was reportedly $3,000.

Espinosa has now lost six of his last nine outings. In his previous fight seven months before, he was halted by Carlos Navarro in the seventh round.

If only Espinosa could collect his unpaid purse of $150,000 for defending his World Boxing Council featherweight title against Carlos Rios in Koronadal in 1997, things wouldn’t be so bad.

But judge Rosario Cruz of the Manila trial court doesn’t seem to appreciate the urgency of the collection suit. Lawyer Dennis Mazanal filed a motion for immediate judgment on the recovery case late last year when the defense failed to mount serious arguments. A hearing was set to take up Mazanal’s motion last Feb. 8. It was postponed to March 8 and now, the word is the case won’t be calendared until June.

Meanwhile, Espinosa struggles to survive. Let’s hope he still has his faculties intact to enjoy his purse when it is finally awarded.

One of Espinosa’s former managers, Noel Rivera, recently sent an e-mail to share his thoughts on the future Hall of Famer.

He said:

"I find myself again rooting from the sidelines, hoping Luisito would one day take stock of himself and his accomplishments. Perhaps he can find solace in his life outside the rigors of the fight game.

"During Louie’s comeback with me and Papa (Hermie), I’ve asked myself why I should I help him after all that they’ve done to Papa? What with Cherie painting my dad to be the bad guy despite getting him to the WBA championship, sponsoring his wedding and the subsequent lucrative title defenses.

"I can proudly say it was an honor to have helped my brother Louie for he was my ticket to rekindling my relationship with my Papa. I plan to continue supporting Louie way after his fighting days are over. Our goal is to help him reunite with his children after he gets back on his feet. My home will always be open to my friend Louie.

"In my game room hang two pairs of scarlet Cleto Reyes eight-ounce gloves, both significant reminders of my relationship with Louie, my humble choice as the greatest and most technically skilled Filipino fighter. The first pair is the gloves Louie used in his last fight as a champion against Cesar Soto in El Paso. I realized in Louie’s loss that the fight game is crooked and that a solid team, a willing promoter and a great camp are the necessary ingredients to win in the lion’s den. We all know how Soto took his crown with the WBC’s blessing. For Soto, instead of Louie, Hamed came next for a mil. Louie could have been the first to knock Hamed silly.

"The second pair was what Louie used to annihilate Ever Beleno with Oscar de la Hoya at ringside. The story goes, De la Hoya wanted to feature Espinosa’s comeback against a tough cookie named Roque Cassiani. I explained that Louie was returning after 18 months and needed someone who could test him but at a lower risk.

"The training camp was great, good trainer in Dee Pooler who got Louie’s affection and respect having been a champion kickboxer, good food which my dad cooked for the crew the last 10 days, good vibes. I hope you’ll appreciate how we kept Cherie from interfering in the important fights I’ve tried to set up for Louie.

"What we did was to create an environment for Louie to train properly, concentrate on just boxing and let me and my dad help with the family. We drove the kids to and from school and we provided Cherie with a means of transport to work.

"Presently, Louie stays with a guy named Frank, a garage mechanic, who lives in Fairfield, California, near Vallejo."

Nobody knows for sure who is now Espinosa’s manager. Will he continue fighting? Is he still mixing drinks as a bartender?

Espinosa was a boxing hero like Manny Pacquiao is now. He deserves to be treated with respect and honor. If it is true that he is destitute, perhaps the Games and Amusements Board could work a miracle and come to his rescue as a way to repay a fighter who once brought glory to our country.

Postscript: The 17th La Salle-Ateneo Golf Classic, sponsored by PLDT and Smart, reels off on April 4 at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club. Tee-off time is 6:30-10:30 a.m. The two-in-one tournament is open to all students (one-year residency) and alumni (at least two years residency) of Jesuit and Christian Brother schools. The competitions will be individual (challenge division) and team (fellowship division). Interested parties may send a copy of their club-certified handicap index. Those with no valid index will play in the open class category. The difference between handicap indexes of partners should not exceed 10 points. For details, call the De La Salle Alumni Association at Tel. Nos. 526-5612 or 523-6158 or the La Salle Green Hills Alumni Association at Tel. Nos. 721-2729 or 726-6339.