IN one of the biggest upsets in boxing this year, Filipino Sony Boy Jaro yesterday stopped long reigning WBC flyweight champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand in the 6th round of their title fight held in Chonburi, Thailand.
The unexpected albeit welcome victory pushed to six the number of Filipino boxers currently holding world title belts.
The 29-year-old, hard punching Jaro (34W-10L-5D, 24 KOs) knocked the Thai down three times, in rounds one and three before finishing the job in the sixth.
The 34-year-old Pongsaklek (83W-4L-2D, 44 KOs) has been world champion since 2001 when he dethroned Malcolm Tunacao of the Philippines by first round TKO. Pongsaklek was also ranked No. 8 in the mythical ound-for-pound rankings of Ring Magazine.
Sony Boy’s manager and promoter Aljoe Jaro spoke to CDN an hour after his ward’s historic upset victory and said that they have trained hard and went to Thailand very well prepared knowing that they need to score a knockout for them to snatch the crown. Aljoe Jaro also said that they are mandated to defend the crown against Japanese challenger Toshiruki Igarashi within three months.
Jaro was ranked No. 8 contender by the WBC going into this fight. He was born in Silay City, Negros Occidental and fights out of the Aljoe Jaro Stable in Binangonan, Rizal.
Jaro previously lost to Giovani Segura by first round knockout in his attempt to win the WBA light flyweight title in 2009. With yesterday’s win, he joins the elite list of reigning Filipino world champions Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire, Donnie Nietes, Brian Viloria and Johnriel Casimero. /Correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr.