New champ staves off retirement

MANILA, Philippines - Newly crowned WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro of Silay City, Negros Occidental, said yesterday he would’ve retired to become a tricycle driver if not for his upset win over Thai ring legend Pongsaklek Wongjongkam in Chonburi, about an hour’s drive from Bangkok.

Jaro, 29, said he realized it was a do-or-die situation in his third attempt to capture a world title after failing to dethrone WBC lightflyweight titlist Edgar Sosa in 2008 and WBA ruler Giovani Segura a year later. A huge underdog, Jaro defied the oddsmakers in stopping Pongsaklek in the sixth round last Friday.

“This was my last chance,” said Jaro in Filipino during a telephone interview shortly after the shocking upset. “Of course, I was scared of Pongsaklek. He’s a great champion. But I told myself if I don’t beat him, it’s over. I would leave boxing. I would use my purse ($8,000) to buy a tricycle and become a driver.”

With almost a suicidal attitude, Jaro attacked Pongsaklek from the first bell and never looked back.  He threw caution to the wind, pursued the Thai with both fists churning and found the range early as the champion went down for a mandatory eight-count in the opening round. A left hook startled Pongsaklek but it appeared that he lost his footing more because of a slick canvas than the force of the blow. A heavy downpour caused moisture on the canvas in the open-air, canopied makeshift ring although it only drizzled during the fight.

  Jaro decked Pongsaklek once more in the third, was on the verge of scoring another knockdown in the fourth when the bell rang and finally, ended it in the sixth. Jaro was docked a point for a low blow early in the sixth but roared back to stagger Pongsaklek with a right hook to the jaw then pinned the Thai along the ropes. The Thai slowly fell on his side from a flurry and got up on wobbly legs at the count of five. Jaro, in a frenzy, went in for the kill and rained 24 unanswered blows before Japanese referee Yuji Toguchi waved it off as Pongsaklek sank to the canvas. Jaro, shorter by about two inches, looked menacing with a shaved skull.

Surprisingly, Jaro was ahead in the three judges scorecards only by a point, 47-46, before the sixth despite scoring two knockdowns. If the referee hadn’t stopped it and the fight went the distance, the speculation was Pongsaklek would walk away with a hometown decision.

Jaro finished the fight without a scratch while Pongsaklek suffered a bloody nose. “I didn’t give him a chance to hurt me,” said Jaro. “I was always the first to land. I went to the body then as he lowered his guard, attacked the head. My overhand right did it.”

Jaro admitted that he coasted in the fifth round after tiring himself out trying to score a knockout. Pongsaklek, a southpaw, took advantage to score with jarring combinations and clearly won the round.  But Jaro was determined to end it in the sixth. “I dedicate this win to our country, my family and my brotherhood (Iglesia Ni Cristo),” said Jaro who raised his record to 34-10-5, with 24 KOs. Jaro and his wife Marven have two boys, Sean, 2 and Zack-Oye, five months old.

Pongsaklek, 34, wasn’t supposed to face Jaro but chose to take on the No. 8 Filipino after obtaining a WBC exemption to postpone his mandatory defense against top contender Toshiyuki Igarashi.

Jaro was initially lined up to fight for the IBF lightflyweight title as the No. 3 contender. But when Filipino Johnriel Casimero and Argentinian Luis Lazarte were picked to dispute the interim crown due to champion Ulises Solis’ injury exception up to Oct. 31, Jaro’s manager Aljoe Jaro decided to go a different route.  Aljoe Jaro elevated his fighter to the flyweight division and lobbied for a top 10 rating. The WBC accommodated Jaro and ranked him No. 8, clearing him as an optional challenger for Pongsaklek.

Jaro, his manager and cornermen George Sol, Francisco Jaro and Jovy Jimenez arrived in Manila from Bangkok on a PAL flight last night.