Two solid Filipino fighters are battling for the vacant Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation super-flyweight title on 11 February in General Santos City.
The contestants are unbeaten KJ Cataraja and one-time world title challenger Edward Heno.
Cataraja (15-0 with 13 knockouts) used to serve as a sparring partner of Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue and is ranked highly in the world.
Heno (15-1-6 with five knockouts) fought unsuccessfully for the World Boxing Organization light-fly belt in 2019 and formerly held the OPBF 108-lb crown.
JC Mananquil’s SanMan Promotions in cooperation with ZIP Boxing of Japan is staging the slugfest with the winner enhancing his chances of getting a shot at the big time.
Cataraja, 27, admits Heno, 30, has the edge in experience but insists he is moving heaven and earth in training to achieve peak condition.
One thing that should prove to be a gamechanger is Cataraja’s experience being Inoue’s sparmate during the former undisputed bantamweight champion’s buildup for big fights.
This is something that is obviously missing in Heno’s portfolio.
