IBF immediately ordered a rematch in the Philippines

By Rey Danseco

Philippine light flyweight champion Sonnyboy Jaro became a victim of the incompetence and dishonesty of the Indonesian and Thai ring officials in his quest for the vacant IBF Pan Pacific light flyweight title late Tuesday night at Jakarta’s RCTI television compound.

Jaro was officially declared the loser by technical decision at the end of the 6th round of the schedule 12-round televised fight against Indon prospect Angky Angkota.

The Filipino champion had badly beaten Angkota with series of straight punches to the face from the opening bell and did not stop until the Indon referee stopped the fight at the end of round six due to a nasty cut over the left eye of his compatriot, even without the necessary check up and advise of ring physician.

The third man in the ring declared the wound, where blood flowed profusely, was caused by accidental headbutt after he checked it after the bell and Angkota was seating on his stool.

But the slow motion replay in the big screen at the venue proved a combination of a left and two right uppercuts at the remaining one-minute of the round was the cause of the injury.

Had the injury been declared as according to what was the origin of the slash, Jaro would be declared the winner by technical knockout.

The Indonesian promoter of the fight, Ndondo Fandy Sugiarto, recognized the fault of his compatriots but refused to rectify the error.

Instead, he agreed with the recommendation of the powerful Sydney-based IBF vice-president Ray Wheatley, who supervised the bout at ringside, to stage the rematch within 90 days, as Angkota’s first title defense.

In Sugiarto’s shame, he suggested the fight be held in the Philippines despite Jaro’s handler, Ailjoe Jaro, stating that Jaro is willing to let the Filipino champion fight Angkota anywhere in Indon soil again.

Jaro plans to set the rematch in Manila or in the nearby Antipolo City in the Rizal province sometime in the first week of October.

The Indonesian and Thai judges controversially had it 57-55, both in favor of Angkota. While the third judge, another Indonesian saw it a draw, 57-57.

Jaro, a Binangonan-trained native of Silay City, earned $2,000 in the fight but dropped his record to 18-4-3 with 10 knockouts. While Angkota, 23, rated as the No. 10 light flyweight by the WBO and the No. 31 minimumweight by the WBC, improved to 19-1 with 13 KOs. The Indon also might assure of taking a place in IBF rankings next month for his gift-victory.

After the referee’s decision was declared as well the tally in the scorecards, the crowd of more than 1,500 booed the verdict and then chanted "Jaro! Jaro! Jaro!".

On his way to the dugout, the Indonesians greeted their Filipino visitor with handshakes, tap him on his back and many of them said, "You’re the real winner."

Jaro was originally scheduled to face the undefeated but aging WBA Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA) light flyweight champ Vicky Tahumil until he was replaced nearly a week before the fight.

The 31-year old Tahumil, who wrested the PABA crown from the once considered Filipino prospect Marvin Tampus last year, is already rated No. 3 by the WBA and he can’t afford to lose his chance for a world title shot.