The formula to make a world boxing champion is not as complex as it seems. Only two ingredients are needed: A talented fighter with discipline and a manager or promoter who knows how to manage his career.
In Panama, if there is someone who knows how to fulfill this second function well, it is José Rogelio Espiño, one of the great allies that the World Boxing Association (WBA) has had in the last two decades.
Since the beginning of this new millennium, Espiño has had a lot to do with the formation and crowning of the last universal monarchs that this Central American country has had. Through his hands, in one way or another, have passed figures such as Vicente ‘El Loco’ Mosquera, Celestino ‘Pelenchín’ Caballero, Ricardo ‘Maestrito’ Córdoba, Anselmo ‘Chemito’ Moreno, Luis ‘el Nica’ Concepción and Jezzrel ‘el Invisible’ Corrales, who later became WBA champions.
After four years of absence mainly due to the pandemic, Espiño and his promoter company Promociones y Eventos del Istmo decided to return to the task with the to help Panamanian boxing to return to the top and to achieve in the shortest time possible that world champion that is so longed for in Panama.
The first event took place on Thursday night, June 20 at the Irving Saladino Sports City Combat Center in the Panamanian capital. There were 7 professional bouts, including the fight where the Panamanian Leroy ‘El Sensacional’ Estrada (18-4, 4 KOs) beat by KOT the Colombian Ruben Mendoza to win the Fedecaribe super flyweight belt (115 pounds) and the fight where the undefeated Colombian Hernan Alarcon (8-0, 7 KO’s) knocked out in the 10th round the Panamanian Felix ‘Chino’ Montenegro to annex the Fedecentro 118-pound crown.
After the fight, Espiño talked about the evening and his short and medium term goals.
“Very happy to be back after 4 years of inactivity and with a billboard in which the boxers gave their all. It was a successful night for Panamanian boxing and we hope to continue it in the near future,” Espiño commented.
“The goal is to try to work with the boys, with those who are just starting out so they can gain experience and those who already have more experience to put them on the road to a world ranking and eventually a world title fight,” added the several times awarded Promoter of the Year by the Professional Boxing Commission of Panama (Comibox).
Finally, Espiño made an appeal to the Panamanian authorities who will soon take over the reins of the country.
“We invite all businessmen and the incoming governors to remember boxing, which is a sport that has always had great figures and has achieved excellent results,” he said.
