Ernesto Espana Lightweight (another WBA "house" favorite)

Ernesto Espana Lightweight (another WBA "house" favorite)
Espana and Claude Noel fought for the WBA Lightweight Title when Roberto Duran moved up in 1979.

Espana beat Noel, then defended successfully against 18-0-1 Johnny Lira, lost title to 16-0 Hilmer Kenty by TKO, lost to 18-0 Hilmer Kenty for title in rematch, lost by Technical Decision to Champion Arturo Frias (23-1), and lost by TKO to Champion Ray Mancini (23-1). (Note: Espana had beaten Frias by decision earlier their careers when neither fighter were champions).

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Note: Lira once k.o.'ed a young 25-0 Andy Ganigan: "Ganigan knocked Lira down in the 3rd round with a left to the chin. In the 5th round, Lira fighting out of a shell, caught Ganigan with a right to the chin, that sent him to the canvas, with his head hitting the floor hard. In the 6th round, Ganigan was knocked down by a left-right, and then a finishing right hand to the chin. Ganigan was hospitalized after the bout."

Lira lost later in his career to Willie "Fireball" Rodriquez.

1979-08-04 : Ernesto Espana 134¾ lbs beat Johnny Lira 133¾ lbs by TKO in round 9 of 15

• Location: Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Referee: Roque Nova 42-36
• Judge: Rodolfo Hill 42-38
• Judge: Ismael Wiso Fernandez 42-38

WBA World Lightweight Title

Comments

• Espana down in Round 7; Lira down in Round 8.
• Lira suffered a broken jaw in the eighth round.

 

Rt. Exactly. frapping Pepe Cordero.

 

Will try to find out.

 

Johnny as a "businessman", should have had a role in the movie "Goodfellas".

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"hi guys, im on vacation in Colorado at the moment.
Great stuff on here as usual.
Randy, that post you made about daughters is wonderful my friend.
Johnny Lira , as I mentioned before, is a guy I know pretty well and trained with in Chicago.
I will always remember after he kod Gannigan, he came strutting into the gym and said, "as soon as Andy turned it into a streetfight, I knew I was gonna knock him out".
Lira is a tough guy and loves to mix it up.
One day he was sparring with Louie Mateo in the gym and for some reason, threw a knee into Louies groin touching off a near Melee.
There are all kinds of Lira stories out there.
Lately he has been ill with a liver disease, but I heard he is doing better.
I will be back in a few days gents.
http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78351&start=12650

 

Great info ^.