STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART XLII: SONNY BOY JARO, SCORES THE RING UPSET OF THE YEAR 2012 TO WIN WORLD FLYWEIGHT TITLE
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 27 May 2020
Sonny Boy Jaro was born on March 24, 1982 in Silay City Negros Occidental.
Like most boxers, Jaro lived in hardship and helped his father in making shoes. At age 12 years, he fought as an amateur boxer and had 59 fights before turning pro.
He began boxing professionally on September 1, 2001 by beating Daniel Arisala via a 4th round TKO.
Jaro won by decision in his next three fights defeating Dondon Salado by UD, Jojo Pateno by MD and Joseph Mancera by UD.
He also stopped Ferdinand Estrella by 4th round TKO, Aldong Pajaro by 2nd round KO, Keeward Menosa by 7th round TKO, Rex Granada by 8th round TKO, Rex Granada by 4th round, amd Larry Mede by 7th round TKO.
Jerry Lota dealt him his first loss, stopping him by a 4th round KO on May 31, 2002.
He faced future world minimumweight champion Florante Condes and won by split decision. During their rematch six months later, he lost to Condes by 2nd round TKO.
Jaro then won over Jojo Pateno by MD, Richard Garcia by UD, and Jojo Bardon by UD.
In his first world title attempt, Jaro challenged Edgar Sosa for the WBC light flyweight title on September 27, 2008. Despite scoring a knockdown in the 9th round, he lost by a unanimous decision. A year later, Sosa was stopped and stripped of his WBC light flyweight title by another Filipino Rodel Mayol.
Then Sonny Boy defeated Thailand's Rusalee Samor by 1st round KO and Eriberto Gejon by 1st round KO.
Jaro got another shot at a world championship where he took on Mexico's Giovanni Segura for the WBA light flyweight title on November 21, 2009. He was stopped in the 1st round in Merida, Yucatán, Mexico.
He won over Armando de la Cruz by 6th round KO for the International Boxing Federation Pan Pacific light flyweight title on May 31, 2010.
Jaro then lost to Mexico's Oscar Ibarra for the World Boxing Council silver super flyweight title on October 30, 2010 in Chihuahua Mexico.
Then he lost to Hirofumi Mukai of Japan by UD. But it was followed by a 1st round TKO of Renante Rondina.
Jaro won the vacant International Boxing Federation Pan Pacific light flyweight title by stopping Rey Megrino via 4th round TKO in Binangonan, Rizal on May 14, 2005.
He had two more technical knockout wins over Allan Ranada in the 2nd round and Samuel Apuya in the 1st round.
Jaro became a world champion when he defeated Pongsaklek Wonjongkam of Thailand by knockout in the 6th round for the WBC, The Ring and lineal flyweight world titles on March 2, 2012 in Chonburi, Thailand.
He knocked Wonjongkam down in the first round. The Thai ring idol was simply outclassed all throughout the fight. Jaro was aggressive and downed the champion again in the fourth, though it was declared a slip by the referee.
The sixth round was the last for the long-reigning Thai champ as Jaro blew Wonjongkam down again, sending flurries of punches with well timed combinations as the favorite fell down to the floor and the referee stopping the fight to prevent further punishment.
Jaro's victory over the Thai national treasure was declared The Ring Upset of the Year 2012. The journeyman Jaro shocked Wonjongkam, considered one of the greatest flyweights of all time.
However, Jaro's titles did not stay long as he lose to Toshiyuki Igarashi in his first title defense on July 16, 2012. Jaro convinced American judge Luis Escalona who scored the fight for him at 116-112. The two other judges, American David Mendoza (116-112) and South Korean Kyoung Ha Shin (115-113), however, gave the fight to Igarashi's favor.
After his title loss, he was defeated again by another Japanese Hiroyuki Kudaka by UD in Osaka, Japan on April 7, 2013. He was also edged by countryman Gerpaul Valero by SD on August 1, 2013.
He recovered to collect 9 straight wins: 1st round KO of Marzon Cabilla, 1st round TKO of Jovel Romasasa, 6th round TKO of Ical Tobida for the Asian Boxing Federation bantamweight title, UD win over Danilo Pena, 2nd round TKO of Albert Alcoy, MD win over Japan’s Shota Kawaguchi, 2nd round TKO of Dunryl Marcos, 7th round TKO of Shota Kawaguchi in a rematch, and UD win over Marjun Pantilgan for the vacant WBC international superflyweight championship.
Then he was knocked out by Jonas Sultan in the 8th round for the IBF intercontinental superflyweight title in Angono, Rizal on May 7, 2017.
He stopped Dondon Navarez by 2nd round TKO and Boido Simanjuntak of Indonesia by 5th round TKO.
In his last fight, he was KO'd by Nawaphon Kaikanha of Thailand in the 7th round for the WBC Asian Boxing Council bantamweight title on May 18, 2019 in Bang Phun, Thailand.
As of now Sonny Boy Jaro has 65 total bouts, winning 45 with 32 KOs, losing 15 with 9 KOs and 5 draws per Boxrec.com.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Filipino Jonas Magpantay wins Indonesia; pockets $15,000, gains steam heading to Vietnam
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 29 Jun 2026Ex-kickboxer to debut in MMA Slugfest
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 29 Jun 2026Deaño settles to a draw
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 28 Jun 2026Abdyrakhmanov defeats Kadiev, Kudryashov knocks out Yousefi at IBA Bare Knuckle 5 in Moscow
Sun, 28 Jun 2026WBC declares German Agit Kabayel new WBC heavyweight champion after Usyk relinquishes his title
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 28 Jun 20264th Gov. RST MMA Slugfest on July 3
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 28 Jun 2026Chezka Centeno ready for world 10-ball title defense
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 27 Jun 2026Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis: Breakout Moment in Brooklyn
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 27 Jun 2026GAB Must Look Into Exploitation of Rated Filipino Fighters in Japan
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Sat, 27 Jun 2026TITLE FIGHT ON: Zayas and "Boots" Ennis Hit the Scales for Brooklyn Super-Welterweight Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 27 Jun 2026USC's Galen Center confirmed as Martinez-Plantic, Lopez-Carrillo venue August 29, live on ProBoxTV
Sat, 27 Jun 2026July 4: Albert Bell Steps In to Challenge Abdullah Mason in All-Ohio WBO Lightweight World Title Showdown at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center LIVE on TNT and DAZN
Fri, 26 Jun 2026Zamboanga relinquishes her ONE Women’s title
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 26 Jun 2026Top-ranked Charly Suarez facing Manuel Avila, plus two more fights added to July 18 ProBoxTV event
Fri, 26 Jun 2026Yanon fights Kaji in Tokyo on July 4
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 26 Jun 2026