SONNY Boy Jaro stakes his World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title Monday against Toshiyuki Igarashi in a championship doubleheader in Saitama, Japan that will also see fellow Filipino Michael Farenas taking a shot at the World Boxing Association (WBA) super-featherweight title of Takashi Uchiyama.
This will be Jaro’s first defense of his belt following a stunning sixth-round technical knockout of legendary Thai Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in Chonburi, Thailand last March.
A native of Silay City, Negros Occidental, Jaro, 30, sports a record of 34-10-5, with 24 KOs.
The 28-year-old challenger from Akita, Japan is getting his first shot at a world title in a career that began in 2006. He currently has a record of 15-1-1 with 10 KOs.
Farenas is seeing action in the undercard and enters the ring with a 34-3-3 record, including 26 KOs. The 28-year-old fighter from Gubat, Sorsogon is fighting out of the stable of former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa.
Uchiyama is unbeaten in 18 fights, 15 of his wins coming by way of knockout.
The 32-year-old Japanese champion is the heavy favorite over his Filipino challenger in his fourth defense of his WBA title. He won the crown in 2010 with a 12-round TKO of Mexican Juan Carlos Salgado.