CEBU, Philippines - Former WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro hopes to rebuild his path to glory as he battles the Mandaue-based Sarangani toughie Gherpaul Valero of Noy Pacing Flores Stable on the undercard of the WBO bantamweight title bout between defending champion Paulus "The Rock" Ambunda of Namibia and Japanese challenger Tomoki "El Mexicanito" Kameda on August 1 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
The 31-year-old Jaro sent shockwaves to the boxing world when he dethroned Thai legend and WBC ‘Fighter of the Decade’ Pongsaklek Wonjongkam via a scintillating sixth round stoppage on March 2, 2012 last year in Chonburi, Thailand. Before scoring that huge upset that earned him the RING flyweight belt, Jaro was a relatively unknown boxer for most of Pinoy fans.
Unfortunately, Jaro's reign as WBC flyweight king ended in his very first defense, dropping a heart-breaking split decision to Japanese challenger Toshiyuki Igarashi over 12 hard-fought rounds on July 18 last year Saitama, Japan.
Things were never the same again for Jaro after he lost his belt, fallying prey by unanimous decision to Japanese Hiroyuki Hisataka in this previous bout last April 7 at the Bodymaker Colosseum in Osaka, Japan.
Still reeling from that back-to-back defeats, the Silay City-native Jaro (34-12-5, 24KOs) will surely go for all out-war against Valero (14-14-3, 10KOs) with hopes of regaining lost pride and glamour.
Like Jaro, Valero has also woven a Cinderella story in Philippine boxing. Since he fought under the guidance of the eagle-eyed Cebuano trainer Brix Flores, Valero has lost only once in 14 fights highlighted by a 12-fight winning streak that was halted following a unanimous decision loss to ALA Boxing Gym's Gerson Macio last January 20 at the Gaisano Countrymall carpark.
Valero, however, swiftly jumped back to the winning track with a masterful fourth round knockout of Amero Ricablanca in his previous ring appearance last March 9 at the Panphil B. Frasco Memorial Sports Complex in Liloan, Cebu.
Before his talent was spotted by Flores, Valero holds a pitiful record of only one victory in 17 pro fights with three draws.
With this exciting clash of "Cinderella Men" in Phl boxing, expect fireworks when Jaro and Valero mix it up inside the ring as both seek a decisive victory that would bolster whatever their next career move may be.
Meanwhile, the main event of the keenly-awaited boxing extravaganza co-presented by RWS International of Cebuano topnotch promoter Rex "Wakee" Salud and Kameda Boxing Promotions of Japan features an exciting duel of undefeated fighters. Ambunda sports an unblemished 20-0 record spiked with a 50 percent knockout rate, while Kameda carries a clean 27-0 slate packed with 18KOs.
Ambunda will make the first defense of the WBO 118-pound crown he seized with a unanimous decision win over former Thai champ Pungluang Sor Singyo last March 2 at the Windhoek Country Club Resort in Windhoek, Namibia. Sor Singyo is best remembered by Pinoy fans as the boxer who defeated ALA Gym boxer AJ ‘Bazooka’ Banal in their world title match on October 20 last time at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
In the supporting main event, Cebu-based Mindanao brawler Marlon Tapales (22-2, 9KOs) will vie for the World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific bantamweight title against Edgar "Chololo" Martinez (15-7, 9KOs), a resurgent Mexican knockout artist who won all his four fights last year via stoppage. (FREEMAN)