It’s over for Louie

Former two-time world boxing champion Luisito Espinosa is hanging up his gloves for good. But sing no sad songs for the fighter who compiled a 45-10 record, with 24 knockouts, in an outstanding career. He walks away from the ring with head unbowed, his pride intact.

Espinosa, 33, had his share of ups and downs. Hermie Rivera, Joe Koizumi, and Rodel Gonzalez took turns managing his career until he found a true ally in Erlinda (Boots) Aniel, a Filipina real estate broker living in Daly City, California.

Last Saturday, Espinosa was stopped by Augie Sanchez at 1:36 of the fourth round in Las Vegas. He was just a ghost of his old self. Sanchez, coming off a knockout loss to Naseem Hamed, floored Espinosa with a right in the third canto and would’ve inflicted serious damage in the fourth if the Filipino didn’t drop to one knee and signal to referee Joe Cortez he’d had enough.

Aniel didn’t want it to happen. She tried to convince Espinosa to back out of the fight. But Espinosa asked for one more chance, one more test to find out if he still had the fire in his belly and the legs to survive one more fight.

Espinosa’s legal adviser Sydney Hall said it didn’t make sense to risk his No. 4 rating against a dangerous No. 9 contender who is 10 years younger. Besides, Aniel was in the process of negotiating a one-year deal for Espinosa with America Presents.

However, Espinosa’s trainer Robert Aguallo said it was destiny. "We were destined to fight so this is probably the best time," said Aguallo. "Luisito doesn’t have time to sit on his ranking. He doesn’t have two more years. We have to make our move now because promoters and champions are not knocking on his door."

Aguallo insisted that Espinosa was in condition to fight. He said Espinosa sparred at least 65 rounds with tough prospects Juan Arrias and Joaquin Gallardo.

"His training was good, his preparation was good, he was feeling good before the fight – the best that I have seen from him," related Aguallo in an e-mail to The STAR yesterday. "But what I noticed last Saturday and everybody at ringside was that time has caught up with him – his legs aren’t there anymore."

Aguallo said Espinosa confided after the fight that "my brain was working faster than my body–my body is just too old."

Espinosa took the first two rounds, continued Aguallo, but Sanchez dominated the next two. "Louie couldn’t get away from the punches and looked like he had cement in his shoes," noted Aguallo.

When it was all over, Aguallo said Espinosa and his wife Maricherie agreed the time had come to retire.

"He’s lucky that he understands that his body just can’t keep up anymore," said Aguallo. "Under no circumstances do I feel that Louie should continue to fight. He had a great career and has nothing to be ashamed of."

Sanchez said if he had faced Espinosa at the prime of his career, the ending would’ve probably been different.

At the height of Sanchez’ demolition job, Hall cried at ringside and Aniel said she was worried that Espinosa would suffer serious injury. But Espinosa was too smart to risk permanent damage. When he realized the futility of it all, he sank to his knee and called it a night.

Espinosa was paid $15,000 for the fight. Unless he and his wife find a job, the money won’t last too long. The Espinosas live with their two children, John Louie and Janica, in a two-bedroom Daly City apartment they share with another married couple and a child. His wife finished a computer course last November and plans to be employed.

South Cotabato Gov. Larry de Pedro still owes Espinosa about $130,000 and if he pays up, the money will go a long way. De Pedro signed a promissory note confirming the debt which is the balance of Espinosa’s purse for the Carlos Rios fight in Koronadal some years back.