MANILA, Philippines – Former RING flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro will get a shot at redemption against former conqueror Edgar Sosa on Oct. 13 at the Auditorio Plaza Condesa in Mexico City, according to Jaro’s manager Aljoe Jaro. The non-title bout would be a rematch of their 2008 bout won by Sosa via unanimous decision and serve as a WBC flyweight title eliminator.

Jaro (34-11-5, 24 knockouts), of Silay City, Philippines, is looking to rebound after his split-decision loss to Japan’s Toshiyuki Igarashi, which came just four months after he won THE RING belt with an upset knockout of Thai legend Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in March. He is currently rated no. 4 by THE RING at 112 pounds, while Sosa remains unrated.

The former WBC light flyweight titleholder Sosa (46-7, 28 KOs), of Mexico City, has won three straight since losing a unanimous decision to Wonjongkam last year in Thailand. Sosa’s run as a titleholder was short but busy, beginning in 2007 when he upset Brian Viloria for the vacant belt. Sosa would defend the belt ten times over the next two years before losing it to Filipino Rodel Mayol by a controversial second round technical knockout where a Mayol headbutt allegedly caused a Sosa facial fracture.

It was in Sosa’s sixth defense that he first met Jaro, surviving a ninth round knockdown to outbox Jaro and win in his hometown of Mexico City. Aljoe Jaro says that Jaro had long wanted a second shot at Sosa.

“Since before, Sonny Boy has wanted to fight Sosa again,” said Jaro. “Now he’s very happy and he wants to prove that he’s a real champion. Before when he fought Sosa he didn’t have ambition to become a champion but now he wants to become a world champion again.”

Promociones del Pueblo President Oswaldo Kuchle says that while he has contracts from both Jaro and Sosa, he hasn’t been able to make contact with Sosa, putting the fight in jeopardy.

“We have both contracts signed but Sosa’s camp has been hiding,” said Kuchle. “It looks like Sosa is going with our competitor in Mexico, Zanfer [Promotions].” 

Kuchle added that should Sosa not go through with the bout, Jaro would still fight against a replacement opponent.

Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to GMA News. He is also a member of The Ring ratings panel and can be reached at [email protected]. An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSongalia.

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