Espinosa Suffers Third Round KO

Former two-division world champion Luisito Espinosa, one of the Philippines all-time greats was a pitiful sight as he absorbed a battering at the hands of young Cristobal Cruz and was knocked out in the third round of a scheduled ten round main event at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium Saturday morning Manila Time. The 37 year old former world bantamweight and featherweight champion was decked by Cruz with a cracking left hook near the end of the first round and was "out on his feet" according to Andy Rivera who was at ringside to give Espinosa moral support. Andy Rivera is the son of Espinosa’ first manager, broadcaster Hermie Rivera who steered him to the world bantamweight crown and has consistently wanted his prized fighter to retire but sadly explained that he "keeps fighting to feed his family" even as he is still trying to collect on his $150,000 purse for his title defense against Carlos Rios in Koronodal years ago. details]

Comments (9)

Crouching_Tiger

It's sad that great fighters like Espinosa are still trading punches for a living instead of basking on his glory and enjoying retirement strolling on the beaches. As early as 5 years ago, he was already past his prime, absorbing back-to-back losses against Espadas and Sanchez. It's curtain call for him already (and spare himself further humiliation and injury).

21y ago

JOMS

by the way anybody knows how much he gets for his fights now ???

21y ago

JOMS

its a pity seeing my favorite figther who brought PRIDE back to the PI before PAC in this kind of situation, not only he missed the mega buck fight with NAZ, he also got duped back hope for a cool 150k USD. I just hope he gets his money so he can stop figthing and retire soon, dont want to see him get hurt ...

21y ago

Cletus_Funk

Even if he had won that fight, NAZ wouldnt face him. He avoided espinosa for years!! Don't talk rubbish. The fight was lined up, that's why he fought Soto instead.

21y ago

The_Doctor_is_in

Maybe so, I didn't see it. It still cost him alot of money on the Hamed fight regardless, which may have let him retire instead of getting ko'd by nobodies. Even if he had won that fight, NAZ wouldnt face him. He avoided espinosa for years!!

21y ago

Cletus_Funk

He didnt lose to soto, he got cheated! I saw the fight and i truly believe espinosa won hands down. Maybe so, I didn't see it. It still cost him alot of money on the Hamed fight regardless, which may have let him retire instead of getting ko'd by nobodies.

21y ago

The_Doctor_is_in

That's sad. It's a shame he missed out on his big payday against Naz by losing to Soto. He didnt lose to soto, he got cheated! I saw the fight and i truly believe espinosa won hands down.

21y ago

mr_bojangles

Espinosa should really hang those gloves before he gets seriously injured. He was not the same man after back-to-back losses to Soto and Guty Espadas Jr.

21y ago

Cletus_Funk

That's sad. It's a shame he missed out on his big payday against Naz by losing to Soto.

21y ago