Sporting Chance

Papa Dio Espinosa recalls that when his son Luisito was seven years old, the kid used to pretend he was in the ring, lacing up a pair of battered boxing gloves, shuffling his feet, and throwing punches at an invisible opponent. To complete the get-up, Luisito sank his teeth into a pan de sal which stuck out like a mouthpiece.

From Luisito's early years, Papa Dio was convinced he was born to fight. It was, after all, in the genes.

Papa Dio, 63, claims he logged over 100 fights as a pro from when he was 16 in 1953 to his retirement in 1967. He says marquee fighters like Dommy Ursua and Baby Lorona avoided him like the plague. Papa Dio remembers that he was in such demand that within hours on the same day, he knocked out Tamula, Jr. in Tarlac then drove to Manila to battle David Asuncion at the Rizal Memorial.

Papa Dio proudly points out that he survived the distance with former world flyweight and bantamweight champion Masahiko (Fighting) Harada in Sapporo in 1966. And when he lost to former world flyweight titlist Hiroyuki Ebihara on a third round stoppage in Tokyo, also in 1966, Papa Dio insists he took a dive for a $4,000 bonus. Papa Dio's purse was only $700 so he says the temptation was too difficult to resist, noting that other Filipino fighters did the same thing to fatten their bank accounts.

Papa Dio broke into the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) top 10 ratings after halting highly-touted Al Diaz in Cagayan de Oro in June 1964. But Diaz avenged the loss on a similar technical knockout in a rematch two months later.

Papa Dio says he never made headway in his career because he belonged to a small stable owned by bodybuilder Tom (Thunder) Evaristo. Among his victims were Andy Cortez, Midget Paras, Segmundo Macalalad and Rudy Billiones. His tormentors included Ric Magramo, Asuncion, Rudy Somodio, and Antolin Padilla.

When Papa Dio quit boxing, he had about P200,000 in the bank. He bought a passenger jeepney and built a modest home at Pangarap Village in Caloocan. Papa Dio then became a waiter at Malacañang Palace. He often took Luisito to the Palace and when word got around that his son was hooked into boxing, President Marcos offered to be his manager.

"Totoo 'yan, nakapirma si Presidente Marcos sa kontrata bilang manager ni Luisito," says Papa Dio who adds that the term was for 10 years.

Marcos designated Manny Montero and Hermie Rivera to take care of Luisito in his behalf and Papa Dio says the support was overwhelming. Food was delivered to Papa Dio's home for Luisito every day and there was a weekly allowance of P3,000 -- dwarfing his own salary of P3,000 a month. Papa Dio, however, says he took home a lot more from tips given by Palace visitors -- sometimes, as much as P6,000 on a boom day.

When Luisito turned pro, Papa Dio says Marcos would double his purse if he won. Like when Luisito outpointed Romy Navarrete in 1985, Papa Dio says his purse was P2,800 so Marcos coughed up an extra P2,800.

Papa Dio never trained anyone as seriously as Luisito although he handled two-time world flyweight champion Erbito Salavarria early in his career before Toti Sangalang took over. He says he learned the art of bandaging a fighter's hands from Nestor (Puring) Angel. It's an art that has become Papa Dio's specialty.

When Marcos was ousted in 1986, Papa Dio lost his job. He was given a severance pay of only P26,000 for 21 years of service by the Aquino Administration. Papa Dio says another Malacañang employee who had the same tenure and type of job got P185,000 and wonders why he was mistreated. He later sought President Ramos' assistance to collect his due severance pay but had no luck.

Papa Dio has 14 children, six (including Luisito) with first wife Priscilla Pio who died at 32 in 1976 and eight with 37-year-old Alicia Tan. Three of his children are professionals and three more are in college. Only Luisito, 32, and Melchor, 23, became fighters.

His first wife died about two weeks after giving birth to Melchor who posted a 17-2 record before quitting the ring two years ago. Papa Dio says Melchor is now thinking of making a comeback.

If Luisito decides to continue fighting, Papa Dio says he'll be his chief trainer - nobody else will do. Father knows best.