Sonny Boy Jaro stakes newly won WBC crown vs Japanese

MANILA, Philippines—Newly crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro is out to prove that his recent knockout triumph isn’t mere luck.

Jaro, the 29-year-old often tagged as a journeyman, said he’s ready for his mandatory title defense against Japanese Toshiyuki Igarashi this June.

“I’m comfortable in the flyweight division,” Jaro said in Filipino in Tuesday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue. “I need to train even more so that I can keep the crown longer.”

Just early this month, Jaro fought as an overwhelming underdog against Thai Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in Thailand.

But Jaro floored the Thai superstar right in the first round, before knocking him out in the sixth to emerge as the country’s latest world champion.

“They said he had no chance,” said Jaro’s manager Aljoe Jaro, also a distant relative. “But it wasn’t just luck because he floored him four times. It was a real upset.”

Jaro, the 5-foot-2 pride of Negros Occidental, improved his record to 34 (24 KOs)-10-5. His next opponent, Igarashi, holds a 17 (15 KOs)-10-1 card.

“I think he’ll stay as a champion for a long time,” said manager Jaro. “He has improved a lot and he’s more confident. But he needs to prepare well because [Igarashi] is taller at 5-6 to 5-7.”