CEBU-BASED journeyman Renoel Pael looks to upset former world title challenger Eduard Heno in a 10-round bout on Aug. 5 at the Yñares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
“We’re not sure if we will win. What’s certain though is that Pael will give him a good fight,” Noy Pacing Flores (NPF) Boxing Academy head coach Brix Flores told SunStar Cebu.
Pael and Heno are both coming off long layoffs.
Pael last saw action on Nov. 9, 2019 in Japan. He lost to Japanese veteran Tatsuya Takahashi via a close split decision.
Pael has been training hard at the NPF Boxing Academy and has been mainly sparring with prospect Justine Darap, who’s also set to fight in the same event against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
“He’s been sparring with our amateurs and Justine,” said Flores.
Heno, on the other hand, is also returning after a three-year absence from boxing.
Heno’s last fight was his world title fight against then World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight champion Elwin Soto in Indio, California. He lost to Soto by a closely-contested unanimous decision.
Heno is a former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight titleholder and owns wins over former world champion Merlito Sabillo and Jesse Espinas.
Pael is 23-11-1 with 12 knockouts, while Heno is 14-1-5 with five knockouts.
Ex-world champion Sonny Boy Jaro (45-15-5, 32 KOs) is out to prove that he still has a lot left in the tank as he takes on a much younger opponent in undefeated up-and-comer RV Deniega (6-0, 3 KOs) in a 10-round co-headliner.
The 40-year-old Jaro returns to the ring after a three-year hiatus. He lost his last fight in 2019, a seventh round technical knockout in the hands of former world title contender Nawaphon Kaikanha.
The 22-year-old Deniega is one of the promising fighters from the Sanman Gym of Gen. Santos City. He’s out to prove that he’s the real deal and a win over a decorated fighter like Jaro should be good for his resume.
Jaro, the one-time World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion, is 45-15-5 with 32 knockouts, while Deniega is 6-0 with three knockouts.
In the undercard, undefeated 22-year-old prospect Weljon Mindoro (7-0, 7 KOs) trades leathers with experienced former regional champion Jason Egera (24-24-3, 11 KOs), Lloyd Jardeliza (8-12-4, 6 KOs) squares off with Junjie Lauza (6-29-2, 1 KO), Jericho Gatchalian (3-0, 2 KOs) locks horns with Paolo Sy (6-6-1, 3 KOs) and Jonathan Gajana (1-0) slugs it out with newcomer Iresh Alejandre.