By James Slater – Yesterday in his native Thailand, defending WBC and Ring Magazine flyweight king Pongsaklek Wongjongkam was the victim a a huge upset, courtesy of Filipino challenger Sonny Boy Jaro. Seen as a straightforward fight going in, the Thai southpaw was instead dropped heavily in the opening round, again in the 3rd and then stopped in the 6th..
Already writers are referring to the win the 29-year-old scored as one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. Certainly, we will see no bigger upset this year (unless Jean Marc Mormeck does the unthinkable on Saturday night!).
Now 34-10-5(24), Jaro had previously failed in WBC and WBA light-flyweight title challenges – losing a wide 12-round decision to Edgar Sosa in 2008 and being halted inside a single round by Giovani Segura in 2009. The powerful yet somewhat crude and vulnerable puncher had won his last four going into yesterday’s title challenger (all by KO) yet he was given absolutely no chance by the fans and experts.
Now a genuine hero in his homeland, Jaro, shocked the hell out of the ultra-accomplished Wongjongkam – a Pound-for-Pound entrant who won the WBC flyweight title all the way back in 2001 and who retained it no less than seventeen times before losing it and then regaining it, and who has not lost since 2007 – with his sheer aggression and punching power.
Fans of the lower weight classes will be talking about this one for a long, long time. Up there, in terms of massive upsets, with the Douglas-Tyson stunner and the Rahman-Lewis sensation, Jaro’s win over the 34-year-old will unfortunately get only a fraction of the press those two heavyweight upsets received.
It is to be hoped the gutsy Jaro can make some good money for as long as he manages to defend his new crown. His reign may not last too long, but for now massive congratulations go out to this warrior with the never say die attitude!
Former king Wongjongkam is now 83-4-2(44). His last stoppage defeat (just his second in total) took place way back in 1996, in what was just the Thai’s 11th pro outing.