Pael looks to upset Heno on Aug. 5

COMING in as a huge underdog, journeyman Renoel Pael looks to score an upset tonight against former world title challenger Eduard Heno at the Yñares Sports Arena in Pasig City.“We have a chance of an upset if he follows our plan,” Noy Pacing Flores Boxing Academy head coach Brix Flores told SunStar Cebu. “Pael is well conditioned. The fans will surely enjoy this fight. Heno is a very good boxer.”Pael is coming off a long layoff. He hasn’t fought since a split decision defeat to Tatsuya Takahashi in Japan in 2019.Heno is also making his ring return after a three-year hiatus.Heno last fought against then World Boxing Organization light flyweight king Elwin Soto in Indio, California. He lost to Soto via a tight unanimous decision. That was Heno’s only career defeat.Pael is 23-11-1 with 12 knockouts, while Heno is 14-1-5 with five knockouts.Former world titleholder Sonny Boy Jaro (45-15-5, 32 KOs) makes his ring comeback against unbeaten prospect RV Deniega (6-0, 3 KOs) in a 10-round co-main event.Jaro, 40, hasn’t fought for three years. He lost a seventh round technical knockout against ex-world title challenger Nawaphon Kaikanha in 2019.The 22-year-old Deniega, one of the promising fighters from the Sanman Gym of Gen. Santos City, wants to prove everyone that he’s a legitimate prospect and beat a former world champion in Jaro.Jaro, the one-time World Boxing Council 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) slugs it out with veteran former regional champion Jason Egera (24-24-3, 11 KOs); Lloyd Jardeliza (8-12-4, 6 KOs) is up against Junjie Lauza (6-29-2, 1 KO); Jericho Gatchalian (3-0, 2 KOs) is fighting Paolo Sy (6-6-1, 3 KOs); and Jonathan Gajana (1-0) faces off with debutant Iresh Alejandre.