Boxing promoter Aljoe Jaro isn’t just losing control over WBO No. 1 contender Bernabe Concepcion but also Sonny Boy Jaro, a distant relative who’s set to face WBA lightflyweight champion Giovanni Segura in Merida, Mexico, on Nov. 21.
In yesterday’s Star, it was reported that Jaro had filed a complaint with the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) accusing Concepcion of refusing to go through him in negotiating his next fight. Jaro’s wife Alice has a live contract as Concepcion’s registered manager until November 2011.
Sonny Boy’s case is slightly different from Concepcion’s because neither Jaro nor his wife is listed as his manager. Jaro said although he has taken care of Sonny Boy’s career for years, there is no binding contract between them.
Last July, Sonny Boy was supposed to take on Segura for the WBA crown but couldn’t make it to Mexico because of a visa snafu. Sonny Boy ran out of time in securing a US visa which was necessary for him to fly to Los Angeles before proceeding to Mexico. Instead, Jaro booked Sonny Boy for the flight via Bangkok and Frankfurt.
Alas, local airport authorities refused to allow Sonny Boy to board unless he had a visa to go through Germany. So another Filipino challenger Juanito Rubillar was signed up on a 48-hour notice to replace Sonny Boy. Segura went on to halt Rubillar in six rounds.
Jaro blamed Manny Pacquiao’s Canadian advisor Michael Koncz for failing to obtain Sonny Boy’s US visa on time. But Koncz said Jaro himself should’ve followed up the appointment with the US embassy. The finger-pointing didn’t stop there. Koncz was later accused of throwing in the towel to stop the Segura-Rubillar fight even as some ringsiders felt it was premature. Koncz explained he did it to prevent Rubillar from further punishment as the Filipino was badly beaten up, looked spent after reducing to make the weight the day before and wouldn’t respond when asked if he wanted to go on in between rounds.
Sonny Boy hasn’t fought since knocking out Eriberto Gejon in one round at the Araneta Coliseum last April so he’ll be coming off a seven-month layoff to face Segura.
Jaro said he was not consulted when the Segura fight was firmed up.
“Sonny Boy told me he was leaving for the province about a month ago but before I knew it, he was training at the Elorde gym in Pasig,” said Jaro. “He never bothered to contact me anymore. I think he forgot that I gave him his first crack at a world title. Last year, I took Sonny Boy to Mexico City to fight WBC champion Edgar Sosa. He lost but made a good account of himself, impressing Don Jose Sulaiman’s son Mauricio who runs the WBC. The Mexican fans liked Sonny Boy’s showing and that’s how he got this shot at Segura.”
With Concepcion ignoring him and Sonny Boy out of his hands, Jaro said he’ll just concentrate on his stable of 13 fighters, including WBC International minimumweight champion Denver Cuello who’s staking his crown against Thailand’s Lookdiew Sithkruluor at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Nov. 21.
“I have no contract with Sonny Boy,” said Jaro. “He’s free to do what he wants. I managed him from the start like Concepcion and made him the Philippine and Oriental champion. I arranged his first world title fight. Now, he’s fighting Segura for the WBA championship and I don’t know anything about it. Uso na talaga ang aswangan sa boksing.”
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Six-time world bowling champion Paeng Nepomuceno’s father Angel was laid to rest at the Santuario de San Antonio mortuary in Forbes Park yesterday afternoon. He passed away at 81 last Saturday.
“My dad’s forte was instilling confidence in me,” said Paeng. “He always told me that the foundation of a champion athlete is confidence. He was a great motivator and knew exactly how to reinforce confidence that he thought was the most important ingredient that makes a champion. He also taught me the importance of having a solid mental game like being cool, calm and confident at all times and in all situations. He maintained a poker face during tournaments no matter what came up._His patience and dedication to me were unparalleled. He mastered my physical game and knew my game like the palm of his hand. He sacrificed so much for me and remained low key all throughout these years and was happy to stay behind the scene.”
Paeng said his father’s last international coaching was in 2003 when the Hall of Famer finished third at the World Tenpin Masters in England.
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