Jaro chides foe for raising drug issue

MANILA, Philippines - WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro of Silay, Negros Occidental, laughed off speculation that he takes steroids and promised to take any form of drug test after he disposes of Japanese mandatory challenger Toshiyuki Igarashi in a scheduled 12-round title bout at the Winghat Arena in Saitama tonight.

Igarashi, the No. 1 contender, couldn’t believe that Jaro’s muscular physique came naturally and accused the Filipino of using performance enhancing drugs during the rules meeting the other day. The Japanese dared Jaro to subject himself to an immediate blood test and urinalysis but the champion’s manager Aljoe Jaro said the WBC rules don’t require an examination a day or two before a fight. Jaro’s argument was upheld by WBC supervisor Major Lee Won Bok of Korea.

“They’re scared,” said Jaro. “They wanted to extract blood from Sonny Boy because they claimed he’s taking steroids. But that’s not in the WBC rules. I told them they can take buckets of blood and urine after the fight, not before. They can’t believe that Sonny Boy built up his body with so much power at 112 pounds. They think Sonny Boy is on some kind of drugs.”

According to Aljoe Jaro, his ward was actually went over 500gs in weight but took just 30 minutes to make the 112lb limit.

Jaro said the danger of losing the title by a hometown decision is real. “The referee is Mexican while two judges are American and one is a Korean female,” he continued. “Sonny Boy wants to end it early so he doesn’t risk getting robbed. His condition is 100 percent, no problem with weight. We expect Igarashi to run because he’s afraid of Sonny Boy.”

Jaro said once the champion lands a solid shot, Igarashi will go down. “We plan to start strong and attack right away,” he said. “The way I see it, as soon as Sonny Boy connects, it’s over. Sonny Boy’s even stronger now than when he knocked out Pongsaklek (Wonjongkam).”

Asked about the fighter’s purse, Jaro declined to reveal details. “All I can disclose is Sonny Boy’s life will be better after this fight,” said Jaro. If Igarashi loses, Jaro is guaranteed $75,000 for his next defense and $125,000 for his third as both purses are stipulated in the options that Pongsaklek’s manager Virat Wachirarattanawongse holds. Working the champion’s corner will be Frankie Jaro, George Sol and US Army veteran Carlos Vasquez. At ringside will be several city officials from Angono, Rizal, where Jaro lives. Mayor Gerry Calderon, barangay captain Joey Calderon and city councilors flew in to witness Jaro’s first defense of the crown he wrested from Pongsaklek via a sixth round stoppage in Chonburi, Thailand, last March.

Jaro, 30, has won his last five outings, all by KO. His last loss was on points to Hirofumi Mukai in Osaka early last year. The win over Pongsaklek was Jaro’s third attempt to capture a world title. He was previously decisioned by Edgar Sosa and knocked out in a round by Giovani Segura in world lightflyweight title bouts. His record is 34-10-5, with 24 KOs. If Jaro lost to Pongsaklek, he woud’ve retired from the ring to become a tricycle driver. Igarashi, 28, turned pro in 2006, five years after Jaro, and has a 15-1-1 record, with 10 KOs. The Japanese has won his last eight and in 2010, halted Filipino Rexon Flores in one round.

The Jaro-Igarashi fight will begin at 5:45 p.m. Later on the same card, WBA superfeatherweight titlist Takashi Uchiyama will stake his crown against Filipino challenger Michael Farenas of Sorsogon.

Uchiyama, 32, boasts an 18-0 record, with 15 KOs, and is making his fifth title defense. Two of his victims were one-time Filipino prospect Aaron Melgarejo and Australia’s Nedal Hussein whose claim to fame was decking Manny Pacquiao before losing by stoppage in an Antipolo brawl in 2000. Uchiyama is coming off an 11th round disposal of Mexico’s Jorge Solis, another Pacquiao victim, last December.

Farenas, 28, is two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa’s protégé. The burly southpaw has lost only once in his last 29 outings, a decision to Marlon Aguilar in Mexico two years ago. But in his last seven straight wins, two were by split decision and another two by majority. Last April, Farenas was lucky to escape with a split verdict over Jason Egera in Cebu. Despite Farenas’ string of unconvincing victories, Peñalosa said he’s ready to depose Uichiyama. Farenas has waited a long time for his title crack and won’t waste the opportunity, added Peñalosa.

Uchiyama and Farenas both made the weight at 130 lbs.