Jaro, Farenas gun for world crowns vs Japanese today

SONNY Boy Jaro and Michael Farenas will be facing taller opponents with sterling credentials in their quest for world crowns today in Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan.

The 5-foot-2 1/2 Jaro will be giving away three inches in his defense of the World Boxing Council flyweight title against Toshiyuki Igarashi while Farenas will be half inches shorter than  unbeaten Takashi Uchiyama when they dispute the World Boxing Association super featherweight crown.

Jaro,  a late bloomer with a win-loss draw record of 34-10-5 with 24 knockouts,  is out to prove that his stunning sixth round stoppage of Thai legend Pongsaklek Wonjongkam en route to the title on March 2 was no fluke.

The 28-year-old Igarashi a southpaw, is a tough customer based on his 15-1-1 mark with 10 knockouts.

Farenas (34-3-3 with 26 knockouts) is also in for an even tougher battle against Uchiyama who has stopped 15 of 18 foes thus far.

Uchiyama’s latest victim was Mexican Jorge Solis, a former victim of Fighter of the Decade Manny Pacquiao, whom he halted in the 11th round last Dec. 31.

Both Filipinos expressed confidence that they will be able to overcome the odds and the hostile crowd.

Jaro, who’s being handled by Aljoe Jaro, is on a roll at 30 years old, having stopped his last five rivals.

In contrast, Farenas, a southpaw protégé of former two-division world champion Gerry Peñalosa, has been unable to wield his knockout punch in his last five bouts.

“Mike trained like this is a matter of life and death,” said Peñalosa.