Merced boxer gets shot at a world title. Here’s what to know
Merced boxer Jesus “Chiquito” Haro made his hometown proud when he won a Youth World Championship in 2022.
Now he has a shot to win a world title on boxing’s biggest stage.
Haro will face three-belt minimumweight champion Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo on March 14 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The championship bout will part of a live broadcast on DAZN and is the co-main event along with a welterweight bout between Arnold Barboza and Kenneth Sims Jr.
Haro, 23, is 13-3 as a professional, with two knockouts in the 105-pound class.
Puerto Rico’s Collazo, 29, is the WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine champion. Haro is a 14-1 long shot to take the titles from Collazo (13-0, 10 KOs), according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
According to Jake Donovan of boxingscene.com, Haro got the title shot after Collazo’s proposed unification matchup against the Philippines’ Melvin Jerusalem, the WBC champ, was scratched.
“It’s going to be a great fight,” Haro said in a news release. “The Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry has always been present in this sport, and although I was born in the USA and I love this country, Aztec warrior blood runs through my veins, and I’m not going to let my Mexican people down.”
In his most recent bout last May, Haro defeated Jaime Guevara by TKO in the fourth round. Collazo comes off a knockout victory over Jayson Vayson in September.
The bout is being promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Miguel Cotto Promotions.
Boxing runs in the Haro family
Haro has been boxing most of his life, according to previous reporting from the Merced Sun-Star. He started training when he was 4 years old and competed in his first fight when he was 8.
Haro fought 108 fights as an amateur, compiling a 100-8 record. He won 23 national titles as an amateur.
Haro’s father runs Haro Bros Boxing in Merced. Haro’s younger brother, Daniel “Manitas De Piedra” Haro, is also a professional boxer.
In 2022, Jesus Haro told the Sun-Star that representing Merced wherever he travels has always been important.
“I take pride in where I’m from,” Haro said. “It’s very big to me. I want to be the one to put Merced on the map in boxing.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 8:55 AM.
