By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Days after his fight against hard-hitting Mongolian Lakva Sim who lost his world title to Juan Diaz last year was cancelled, the California State Athletic Commission has suspended the boxing license of former two-division world champion Luisito Espinosa.
The giant Philippine TV Netework ABS-CBN’s North American News Bureau reported that the executive director of the Commission, Armando Garcia disclosed the suspension was "nationwide" and followed Espinosa’s refusal to undergo a series of medical tests ordered by the Commission before the Sim fight. There were reports that Espinosa, the former world bantamweight and featherweight champion had also been suspended sometime last year after failing to complete medical tests.
The 38 year old Filipino has taken a series of bad beatings in the last two years and lost his last two fights by stoppages. He suffered a seventh round TKO at the hands of Carlos Navarro on July 9, 2004. Navarro is the same fighter who was knocked out some months ago by Bobby Pacquiao. In Espinosa’s last ring appearance he was knocked out in the third round by Cristobal Cruz on February 18.
Garcia was quoted as telling the ABS-CBN North American News Bureau that Espinosa’s record of consecutive losses prove that he should now be considered as "high risk" at the age of 38. Garcia said Espinosa suffered "a very hard knockout" against Cruz and he "lost consciousness in the fight." Garcia added that Espinosa was "no longer the excellent world champion that he used to be and he is at this point at risk to compete in certain events."
Espinosa however refuses to admit its time to quit. "This is my job. I’m not ready to retire and I can prove that I can still fight like before." His manager, former police detective Joe Robles argues that a CT Scan and MRI ordered by the Commission would have a negative effect on the fighter claiming "those tests have an effect on the brain. It would be hard. It would weaken him."
Several longtime supporters of Espinosa who have urged him to retire continue to bitterly criticize Robles and trainer Frank Osias for continuing to push Espinosa to fight. Garcia said Espinosa was a tremendous fighter that gave everything he had in the ring. You do not want him to die in the ring. You want to remember him the way he fought and held the flag up high." Espinosa has a ring record of 47-13 with 26 knockouts.
Espinosa is still trying desperately to collect some $135,000 long overdue from his $150,000 purse for his successful title defense against Carlos Rios in Koronodal, South Cotabato on December 6, 1997 in a fight promoted by then governor Larry de Pedro. The case continues to drag on in the courts.
