Eleuterio “Little Dado” Zapanta (January 1, 1916 – July 7, 1965) was a Filipino flyweight and bantamweight boxer from Negros Occidental. Active in the 1930s and early 1940s, he rose to prominence as one of the world’s top fighters, earning the No. 1 Ring magazine ranking at flyweight in 1939. Dado captured the World bantamweight title in 1940 and the World flyweight title in 1941, becoming recognized in California as champion in both divisions. Ambitious to add a featherweight crown, he sought to become only the second boxer to hold three world titles simultaneously. He retired in 1943 with an official record of 90 fights, 73 wins (22 by KO), 6 losses, and 11 draws. Remembered as a trailblazer of Philippine boxing, he died in 1965 at age 49.
Flyweight
Little Dado
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
71Wins
7Losses
11Draws
22KOs
Career: 1932 – 1943
Biography
World Titles
- NBA (WBA) / National Unified World Flyweight Won Feb 21, 1941 · Lost Feb 21, 1942 (Vacated) · UD 9 Jackie Jurich
- CSAC-California CSAC-California World Bantamweight Won Apr 24, 1940 · Lost Apr 24, 1941 (Vacated) · UD Tony Olivera
- CSAC-California CSAC-California World Flyweight Won Nov 30, 1938 · Lost Jun 17, 1941 (Vacated) · UD Small Montana
Regional & Other Belts
- CSAC CSAC California Bantamweight Won Sep 20, 1938 · Lost Jun 1, 1940
- Orient Orient Flyweight Won Sep 28, 1935 · Lost Jun 6, 1937
- Orient Orient Super Flyweight Won May 4, 1935 · Lost May 3, 1936
Fight Record
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 4, 1943 | David Kui Kong Young | D | TKO | 8/12 | Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu |
| Mar 14, 1943 | Quentin Hernandez | D | KO | 1/10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Nov 8, 1942 | Adolph Samuels | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Dec 5, 1941 | Joho Shiroma | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Aug 11, 1941 | David Kui Kong Young | D | UD | 10 | Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu |
| May 9, 1941 | Nat Corum | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Apr 4, 1941 | David Kui Kong Young | D | UD | 10 | Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu |
| Feb 21, 1941 | Jackie Jurich | D | UD | 9/10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Jan 24, 1941 | Tony Olivera | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Nov 29, 1940 | Kenny Lindsay | D | UD | 10 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| Oct 21, 1940 | Nat Corum | D | UD | 10 | Coliseum Bowl, San Francisco |
| Oct 11, 1940 | Rio Rico | D | KO | 2/8 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| Sep 2, 1940 | Olin Loy | D | TKO | 9/10 | Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach |
| Aug 30, 1940 | Nick De Posta | D | TKO | 6/8 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| Aug 13, 1940 | Nat Corum | D | UD | 10 | San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose |
| Jul 30, 1940 | Jackie Jurich | D | — | 12/12 | San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose |
| Jun 17, 1940 | Little Pancho | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| May 10, 1940 | Henry Hook | D | TKO | 4/10 | Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach |
| Apr 24, 1940 | Tony Olivera | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Feb 28, 1940 | Tony Olivera | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Jan 30, 1940 | Manuel Ortiz | D | UD | 10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Jan 12, 1940 | Horace Mann | D | TKO | 7/10 | Legion Stadium, Hollywood |
| Dec 15, 1939 | Horace Mann | D | TKO | 2/10 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| Nov 28, 1939 | Henry Hook | D | TKO | 3/10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Nov 17, 1939 | Henry Hook | D | UD | 10 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| Oct 20, 1939 | Lou Salica | D | UD | 10 | Legion Stadium, Hollywood |
| Sep 22, 1939 | Jackie Jurich | D | UD | 10 | Legion Stadium, Hollywood |
| Aug 23, 1939 | Jimmy Webster | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Jul 14, 1939 | Joey Rosenberg | D | KO | 3/10 | Legion Stadium, Hollywood |
| Jul 7, 1939 | Tony Souza | D | KO | 3/10 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| Jun 16, 1939 | Lou Salica | D | UD | 10 | Legion Stadium, Hollywood |
| Jun 2, 1939 | Tommy Cobb | D | TKO | 9/12 | Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville |
| May 26, 1939 | Bobby Wright | D | TKO | 8/10 | Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach |
| Mar 1, 1939 | Lou Salica | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Jan 31, 1939 | Young Joe Roche | D | UD | 10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Nov 30, 1938 | Small Montana | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Oct 25, 1938 | Olin Loy | D | UD | 10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Sep 20, 1938 | Jimmy Babe McCusker | D | UD | 10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Aug 19, 1938 | Olin Loy | D | UD | 10 | Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach |
| Jun 28, 1938 | Donnie Maes | D | UD | 10 | Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento |
| May 18, 1938 | Young Joe Roche | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| May 3, 1938 | Horace Mann | D | TKO | 4/10 | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles |
| Apr 26, 1938 | Tony Ramirez | D | KO | 2/10 | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles |
| Mar 23, 1938 | Donnie Maes | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Mar 2, 1938 | Jackie Jurich | D | UD | 10 | Auditorium, Oakland |
| Jan 18, 1938 | Little Caesar | D | KO | 2/10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Jan 1, 1938 | Horace Mann | D | KO | 1/10 | Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton |
| Dec 21, 1937 | Tony Ramirez | D | TKO | 6/10 | San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose |
| Nov 30, 1937 | Tommy Cobb | D | TKO | 6/10 | Somewhere in, Stockton |
| Oct 14, 1937 | Joey Rosenberg | D | UD | 8 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Aug 27, 1937 | Small Montana | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Jul 16, 1937 | Tommy Cobb | D | KO | 4/10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Jun 19, 1937 | Tommy Cobb | D | TKO | 2/8 | Armory, Lihue |
| Jun 4, 1937 | Jackie Jurich | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Apr 9, 1937 | Augie Curtis | D | UD | 10 | Civic Auditorium, Honolulu |
| Dec 19, 1936 | Little Pancho | D | UD | 12 | Osmena Park, Manila |
| Jul 19, 1936 | Little Pancho | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Bacolod City |
| Jun 6, 1936 | Little Pancho | D | UD | — | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| May 16, 1936 | Little Pancho | D | UD | 12 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| May 2, 1936 | Yoichiro Hanada | D | UD | 10 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| Apr 4, 1936 | Small Doro | D | TKO | 4 | Somewhere in, Iloilo City |
| Feb 29, 1936 | Joe Brazil | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Iloilo City |
| Jan 4, 1936 | Speed Cabanela | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Bacolod City |
| Dec 23, 1935 | Johnny Mortell | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Bacolod City |
| Sep 28, 1935 | Speed Cabanela | D | UD | 12 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| Aug 31, 1935 | OK Cruz | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Bacolod City |
| Jun 8, 1935 | Augie Curtis | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Bacolod City |
| May 4, 1935 | Kid Pacana | D | UD | 10 | Olympic Stadium, Bacolod City |
| Mar 23, 1935 | Kid Agustin | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Bacolod City |
| Mar 2, 1935 | Rocky Montano | D | UD | 10 | Somewhere in, Cavite City |
| Jan 19, 1935 | James Eagle | D | UD | 10 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| Dec 29, 1934 | Johnny Mortell | D | UD | 10 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| Dec 1, 1934 | Johnny Mortell | D | UD | 8 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| Nov 10, 1934 | Small Doro | D | UD | 6 | Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila |
| Oct 3, 1934 | Small Doro | D | UD | 10 | Stadium, Mandaluyong City |
| Aug 18, 1934 | Rush Medina | D | UD | 8 | Stadium, Mandaluyong City |
| Jul 7, 1934 | Rush Medina | D | TKO | 6/8 | La Loma Stadium, Quezon City |
| Feb 3, 1934 | Dan Viranda | D | UD | 6 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Jan 20, 1934 | Joe Brazil | D | UD | 8 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Dec 9, 1933 | Rush Medina | D | UD | 8 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Nov 11, 1933 | Small Doro | D | UD | 6 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Sep 9, 1933 | Tony Gorilla | D | UD | 4 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Aug 26, 1933 | Little Javier | D | UD | — | Silanganan Stadium, Santa Cruz |
| Jul 1, 1933 | Little Bagnoy | D | UD | 4 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Mar 8, 1933 | Pendio Vinia | D | UD | 4 | Navy Yard, Cavite City |
| Jan 28, 1933 | Max Moro | D | UD | 4 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Dec 24, 1932 | Pendio Vinia | D | UD | 4 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Sep 3, 1932 | David Dencio | D | UD | 4 | Olympic Stadium, Manila |
| Aug 24, 1932 | Frankie Librado | D | UD | 4 | Somewhere in |
