Sporting Chance

It'll be another Mexican facing Luisito Espinosa for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight title. And he comes from championship stock.

Gustavo (Guty) Espadas, Jr. and Espinosa were recently picked by WBC President Jose Sulaiman to dispute the crown relinquished by Naseem Hamed of England. Sulaiman said Hamed was stripped of the belt. Hamed claims he gave it up. Whatever, it's clear that Hamed didn't relish the thought of a mandatory defense against Espinosa, the No. 1 contender, and surrendered the WBC title to keep his World Boxing Organization (WBO) crown.

For political reasons, Sulaiman refused to recognize Hamed as the WBC champion if he held on to the WBO diadem. Hamed unified the WBC and WBO titles when he outpointed Cesar Soto in Detroit last October. Sulaiman decreed that for Hamed to remain WBC champion, he had to yield the WBO crown.

In case you didn't know, there's bad blood between Sulaiman and WBO President Paco Valcarcel of Puerto Rico. That's why Sulaiman forced the issue on Hamed who used the WBC threat as a convenient excuse to evade Espinosa.

Espadas' father Guty, Sr., now 45, was a blood-and-guts slugger who reigned as World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight king from 1976 to 1978. He turned pro in 1971 and won the WBA diadem via a 13th round stoppage of Panamanian Alfonso Lopez. Espadas lost the crown in his fifth defense to Betulio Gonzalez of Venezuela. He retired in 1984 after losing to Payao Poontarat of Thailand on a 10th round knockout for the WBC superflyweight crown. His final record was 48-12-5, with 31 stoppages.

While the father was a rugged brawler, the son is a gangling, skinny, long-armed stick-and-run artist. His favorite weapon is a killer double left hook to the body.

Espadas, 25, made his pro debut in 1992, eight years after Espinosa's own maiden bout. His record is 30-2, with 20 knockouts, compared to Espinosa's 44-8, with 23 abbreviated wins. He's 5-9, two inches taller than Espinosa, but that shouldn't bother the Filipino. Remember, Raul (Jibaro) Perez was 3 1/2 inches taller than Espinosa when they squared off in 1995 and the former WBC bantamweight and WBA junior featherweight ruler was poleaxed in a single round.

Espinosa, 32, is no stranger to Mexican opponents. He's battled over 10 beakbusters from South of the Border so far. Among his notable Mexican victims were Alejandro (Cobrita) Gonzalez, Cesar Soto, Manuel (Mantecas) Medina, and Perez.

Espadas has lost only to Ilocos Sur-born Jesus Salud of Hawaii and journeyman Darryl Pinckney, both in 1996.

The setback to Salud exposed the spindly Espadas' mediocrity. Boxing News called the Mexican "nothing more than a clubfighter" and said he "looked a long way short of world class" after the defeat. Salud, a southpaw, scored a unanimous 10-round decision on scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 97-93.

"Espadas could box a bit but aside from flicking out light long jabs, did not do much to admire," said Boxing News. "He is a decent defensive boxer . . . but Espadas does not have it."

Pinckney was supposed to be easy pickings for Espadas. The street-wise Pinckney entered the ring to meet Espadas toting a 21-21-2 record, with 14 knockouts--hardly a frightening mark. But Pinckney--six inches shorter--mauled Espadas so badly the battered Mexican couldn't get up from his stool for the seventh round.

Boxing News lashed out at Espadas for his lack of natural skills. "Normally, the Mexican fight school is one of the toughest in the world," noted the London weekly trade paper, the oldest fight publication existing. "But this kid's faults are so glaring that he will never be a world-class fighter . . . he has no reflexes. He did show guts and swung back wildly but when he tried to box, Espadas looked more like a kid goaded into boxing than someone who had natural ability."

Pinckney broke Espadas' nose in the fourth round and the Mexican's schnozzle spewed blood until he raised the white flag.

Since the twin losses, Espadas has racked up 10 straight wins, four inside the distance. Last April, he used his patented double left hook to the body to knock out Oscar (Vaquero) Maldonado at 2:55 of the second round at Anaheim. And four months later, Espadas bludgeoned Indonesian patsy Prangky Mamuaya into submission at 2:17 of the first round, also at Anaheim. A barrage of 20 straight punches--mostly aimed at the midsection--felled Mamuaya who collapsed in a corner, rubbing his torso in pain.

Espinosa, however, isn't impressed by Espadas' recent triumphs. Neither Maldonado nor Mamuaya can be considered a serious contender. Maldonado had previously lost four fights by knockouts and before facing Espadas, was halted by Mauricio Martinez in six. Mamuaya has been stopped by Filipino Reynante Jamili twice and Salud--he's known in ring circles as a human punching bag.

The word is Sulaiman is inclined to hold the WBC featherweight title fight in Merida, Mexico--Espadas' hometown. Espinosa's promoter America Presents apparently isn't interested in bidding to stage the bout. The Denver outfit's contract with Espinosa expires May 12 and the fighter is definitely not signing a renewal. Espinosa's manager Boots Aniel, in fact, is going to court in San Francisco to break free from the contract even before it lapses.

Since neither Espinosa nor Espadas is the defending champion, their purses shouldn't be too big. So a Filipino promoter wouldn't need to invest oodles of dollars to bring Espadas to Manila.

Araneta Coliseum would be the perfect site for the fight. Popoy Juico might consider promoting it for the Araneta group on March 16--the date in 1960 when Flash Elorde knocked out Harold Gomes to win the world junior lightweight crown in the Big Dome's inaugural show.

At least, Espinosa can be sure he'll be paid by Juico--unlike in his last fight on local soil in 1997 when de facto promoter Gov. Larry DePedro refused to pay the balance of his purse, about $130,000, despite signing a promissory note.

If the Araneta group is interested, Juico should immediately contact Sulaiman, through Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Chairman Dominador Cepeda, and register his intent to bid. It would be a crime if Espinosa is forced to fight Espadas in Merida--heaven forbid.

Finally, here's a tip if Espinosa's in shape, there's no way he'll lose to Espadas.