REMEMBERING LUISITO ESPINOSA'S SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE OF WBC FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST JUAN CARLOS RAMIREZ OF MEXICO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 16 Aug 2016
The World Boxing Council remembers the successful defense of featherweight champion Luisito "Lindol" Espinosa in a clash with Mexico's Juan Carlos Ramirez at the County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas on August 17, 1998.
Espinosa won by an 11th round TKO with the fight ending at 2:22 of the penultimate round when referee Laurence Cole stopped the action due to a nasty gash suffered by Espinosa following an accidental clash of heads.
Well known boxing writer Michael Katz of the New York Daily News reported that Ramirez who was from Anapra, the poor shantytown of Juarez to which Ramirez had promised a sewage system and maybe some running water if he won the title from Espinosa but that the water last night was thrown by angry supporters of 'El Ranchero' who lost an eleven round decision to old champion Luisito Espinosa of the Philippines.
The bout had to be stopped because of a nasty cut over Luisito's right eye.
Under WBC rules the scoring was completed for the 11th round and while Ramirez was ahead on the card of Gary Ritter 106-104, Espinosa was ahead on the scorecards of David Harris 106-104 and Jerry McKenzie 105-104. Katz said the Daily News had it even at 105-105 but said Ramirez was dominating the last two rounds.
Ramirez who was only 20 years old with a record 14-0 seemed overmatched against the 31 year old Espinosa who was a two-time world champion in his 50th pro bout but by the 6th round Ramirez was landing solid left hooks and Espinosa was looking at him as if to say, "who is this guy with 14 fights?"
The Filipino world champion however was landing with enough rights to form a mouse beneath the left eye of Ramirez who also suffered a nasty cut by his left eye.
Espinosa ended his career with a record of 47-13 with 26 knockouts.
Luisito Espinosa (R) of the Philippines defended his WBC featherweight title against Juan Carlos Ramirez of Mexico on Aug. 17, 1998 in El Paso, Texas.
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