STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART XI: DADO MARINO, THE FILIPINO-HAWAIIAN WORLD FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 12 Apr 2020
Salvador "Dado" Marino was a flyweight boxer born to Filipino parents on October 15, 1915 in Honolulu, Hawaii, who became world flyweight champion in 1950. He also fought in the bantamweight division, but failed to annex the world bantamweight title.
He had 74 total fights as a professional, winning 57 with 21 victories by KOs, losing 15 with 3 KO defeats and 3 draws per Boxrec.com.
Marino's professional debut was on June 20, 1941, in Honolulu, where he fought majority of his bouts, and stopped Paul Francis by knockout in the second round.
The Orthodox boxer fought his first 40 bouts in Honolulu, then flied to Glasgow, Scotland in July 16, 1947, to challenge Jackie Paterson, the world flyweight champion.
Unluckily, Paterson did not make the weight limit, and collapsed at the weigh-in due to exhaustion in trying to reduce. Paterson was then stripped of his world title, and a non-title fight was immediately scheduled between Marino and Rinty Monaghan of Northern Ireland. Marino won the bout because Monaghan was disqualified in the ninth round.
In August 8, 1947, Marino fought Peter Kane, the former world flyweight title holder, before Paterson. The fight was held in Manchester, England and Kane won on points in a ten rounder.
In October 20, 1947, Marino and Rinty Monaghan rematched at Harringay Arena, London for the vacant world flyweight title, once held by Paterson. The title fight was recognized by the National Boxing Association but was not acknowledged by the British Boxing Board of Control. Monaghan won on points in fifteen rounds to earn the world title.
The renowned world bantamweight champion, American Manuel Ortiz, defended his title against Marino in Honolulu in March 1, 1949. Marino was defeated by Ortiz by a unanimous decision.
In August 1, 1950, Terry Allen, the English world flyweight champion, defended his title against Marino in Honolulu. Marino won over Allen and became world champion via unanimous decision.
Allen returned for a rematch in Honolulu in November 1, 1951, however Marino retained his title with another unanimous decision.
In December 4, 1951, his next fight was a non-title fight. Marino was stopped in seven rounds, in Honolulu, by Yoshio Shirai, of Japan. Marino was floored six times prompting his manager to climb the ring to stop the fight.
Despite the loss, Marino agreed to defend his world flyweight title against Shirai in May 19, 1952. The title fight was held at the Korakuen Baseball Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, before 40,00 spectators. Shirai wrested Marino’s world title with a unanimous decision.
On November 15, 1952, Marino tried to regain the title in a rematch with Shiriai again in the same venue in Tokyo, but the Japanese champion won another unanimous decision. This turned out to be Marino’s last fight and he hanged up his gloves.
Marino died on October 28, 1989 at the age of 74.
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