Setting records straight

For some reason, Little Dado has been ignored by record keepers in listing feats of Filipino boxing champions. But it’s time to set the records straight. Dado was actually the first Filipino to hold multiple world titles, winning the flyweight crown in 1938 and the bantamweight belt in 1940. In history, there are only nine Filipinos with at least two world championships in different weight divisions – Manny Pacquiao (eight), Nonito Donaire (five), Donnie Nietes (four), JohnRiel Casimero (three) and Dado, Luisito Espinosa, Dodie Boy Penalosa, Gerry Penalosa and Brian Viloria (two each).

Dado won the flyweight diadem via a decision over another Filipino Small Montana in Oakland in 1938. That was the second world title fight involving two Filipinos. The first was when Pancho Villa retained the world flyweight crown on a decision over Clever Sencio at Wallace Field, now Luneta Park, in 1925. In all, there have been seven world championship bouts pitting two Filipinos – Villa-Sencio in 1925, Dado-Montana in 1938, William Magahin over Erwin Villaver for the WBF welterweight title at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in 1995, Jerwin Ancajas over Jonas Sultan for the IBF superflyweight title in Fresno in 2018, Donnie Nietes drew with Aston Palicte for the vacant WBO superflyweight title in Los Angeles in 2018, Pedro Taduran over Samuel Salva for the vacant IBF minimumweight title in Taguig in 2019 and Rene Mark Cuarto over Taduran for the IBF minimumweight title in General Santos City last month.

Some ring historians question the credibility of Dado’s enthronement since the world titles he claimed were recognized only in California. But during Dado’s campaign, the California championship was widely recognized as the world title. Dado, in fact, held the flyweight and bantamweight crowns simultaneously. If Dado’s reign as bantamweight king was questionable, nobody doubted he was the world flyweight ruler after outpointing Jackie Jurich for the National Boxing Association (NBA) version in Honolulu in 1941. The NBA was the forerunner of the WBA.

Dado was born Eleuterio Zapanta in La Carlota, Negros Occidental, on Jan. 1, 1916. He turned pro in 1932 and after running out of opposition in the Philippines, took his act to Hawaii in 1937 then moved to California. Dado ended his career in Hawaii in 1943, losing to David Kui Kong Young for the world bantamweight crown. His record was 70-6-11, with 22 KOs. Dado never lost to a world champion, defeating Montana and Lou Salica and drawing with Montana, Salica twice and Manuel Ortiz. Of his 87 fights, 56 were held outside the Philippines with Dado winning 44.  One of Dado’s most convincing wins was when he floored Tommy Cobb 10 times in scoring a ninth round stoppage in Watsonville, California, in 1939 with the bantamweight title on the line. After retiring from the ring, Dado returned home and in 1960, managed J. Amado Araneta’s boxing gym at the Araneta Coliseum. In 1965, Dado was hacked to death with a scythe during a heated argument over a piece of inherited land in the family farm in La Carlota. A younger brother Jose was held for questioning by police and two nephews, Rogelio and Antonio Gamboa, were wounded in the same incident.  He died at 49. Dado is in a long list of murdered boxers with the likes of Agapito Sanchez (who fought Pacquiao to a technical draw), Trevor Berbick (who was Muhammad Ali’s last opponent), Hector (Macho) Camacho, Juan Jose (Dinamita) Estrada and two other Filipinos, Roberto Cruz and Jun Gorres.