Espinosa doesn’t impress Sanchez

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 10:56 a.m.

Before Augie Sanchez fought Jorge Paez in May, it appeared to be only a 50-50 proposition that the Las Vegas featherweight would win.

Yet he handled the ex-champion with surprising ease and came away with a seventh-round knockout victory that proved to be a substantial boost to his career.

Now Sanchez is in with another ex-champion and this one looks even more formidable. Luisito Espinosa may or may not be in decline but he's a two-time former world champ with a long list of conquests.

Once again it's a fight that could go either way, with the younger, perhaps stronger, Sanchez in the role of gunslinger against an aging, if still dangerous, veteran with worldwide experience.

But this time Sanchez's confidence is through the roof.

"Espinosa may not even be as good as Paez," Sanchez said this week during a break in his training for a bout that is part of the Mike Tyson vs. Orlin Norris undercard Oct. 23 at the MGM Grand Garden. "From what I've seen, he hasn't shown me anything."

Of course Sanchez never saw Espinosa in his prime, which arguably ranged from his first winning the WBA bantamweight title in 1989 through losing the WBC featherweight title to Cesar Soto last May. That's a long stretch, and during that time Espinosa -- fighting primarily in his native Philippines but also venturing to Japan and Mexico -- built a reputation as a durable, ring-savvy tactician.

He's now 32 years old and sports a record of 44-8 with 23 knockouts.

Sanchez, not yet 22, is 23-1 with 20 KOs and all the trappings of brazen youth.

"Of the tapes I've seen of him, nothing catches my eye," Sanchez said. "He's a runner. He just walks around the ring.

"I'm not underestimating him, but I don't think he's as strong as I am. The only way he could beat me is to knock me out, and I don't think that's going to happen."

Espinosa had a 12-fight winning streak prior to losing a decision to Soto, and among those victories were two over current IBF featherweight champ Manuel Medina as well as wins over Soto and ex-champ Kennedy McKinney.

Sanchez's trainer -- and father-in-law -- knows enough to be concerned.

"This is do or die for Espinosa and he knows it," said Pat Barry. "He brings a lot to the table and it's a crossroads fight for both he and Augie. For Espinosa, he probably feels he should be able to beat an up-and-coming fighter like Augie. And for Augie, he feels he should beat a champion who's past his prime.

"This should be a great fight and it's one we didn't hesitate to take. There comes a time to put up or shut up and a time to find out if you're good enough or not, and this is it."

Sanchez, who is training for this fight at the Mt. Charleston Hotel, has been buoyed by adding Barry as both his trainer and surrogate father.

"I've seen a big change in myself since Pat became my trainer," he said. "I trust him with developing me as a fighter and with taking care of my career. I feel a lot better in the ring and I think I have a good situation out of it."

Sanchez is an independent contractor of sorts, as his contract with Top Rank expired and his work with America Presents has been on a fight-by-fight basis. But a win next week and he'll be a hot property with more than one suitor.

"People haven't seen Augie at his best but the potential is there," Barry said. "There was a time when he took things for granted in boxing, but now he's had a chance for a higher education and he's taking it.

"He wants to be a great fighter and the only way to do that is to fight other great fighters. Espinosa's a cagy guy but Augie has youth and stamina, and I think he's going to win this fight."