Espinosa to root for Pacman at ringside

LOS ANGELES — Luisito Espinosa, the former world champion now based in San Francisco, California, will be among the thousands rooting for Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand on March 19.

The former World Boxing Council featherweight and World Boxing Association bantamweight champion gave Pacquiao a surprise call on his cellular phone Saturday evening.

"Si Luisito ‘yun. Tumawag at nangamusta. Nagtanong na din kung puwede siya mabigyan ng ticket," Pacquiao said immediately after hanging up the phone at his posh Oakwood condominium.

"Tinanong ko kung ilan ang kailangan niya eh lima daw. Sabi ko no problem. May limang tickets ka," said Pacquiao who’s up against Mexico’s Erik Morales in the biggest fight of his career.

Espinosa has been staying in the US for more than six years now and had definitely seen better days – both in his boxing career and personal life.

Forced to do odd jobs just to make both ends meet, Luisito gave boxing one more try last Feb. 18 and absorbed a painful knockout loss to Cristobal Cruz of Mexico in Stockholm.

Friends are hoping that Espinosa, at 37, would never fight again.

Reports of a recent falling out with wife Marie Cherie aren’t helping Espinosa either. Everything, though, seemed to have been patched up.

"Tinanong ko din kung sino ang kasama niya. Si Marie Cherie daw at mga kaibigan nila. Eh di okay," added Pacquiao who needs all the moral support he could get for the fight.

Espinosa will definitely be there to provide some. — Abac Cordero