Philippines, 16 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Heno makes waves


PhilBoxing.com




There?s a little-known boxer who?s quietly climbing up the ratings and now, experts are starting to realize he could become a future world champion. Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightflyweight champion Edward Heno is ranked No. 2 by the IBO, No. 3 by the WBC and WBO and No. 4 by the WBA so if he continues to make strides, a world title shot may come sooner than later.

?Matagal na ako handang lumaban ng world championship,? said the brash, tough-talking Heno. ?Tiwala ako sa utak ko. Ang disiplina nanggagaling sa sarili. Hindi ko ilulubog ang apat na anak ko, hindi ako magpapatalo. Alam ko mahalaga ang trainer pero sa ibabaw ng ring, hindi ang trainer lumalaban kundi ang boxer. Isip at diskarte ang kailangan.?

Heno?s children are all boys from 7 to 6 to 4 to 2. The two oldest are in school. They live in San Pedro, Laguna, with their mother Joanne in a house owned by her sister. Heno said he?s paying little by little to own the house.

Heno, 26, has a record of 14-0-5, with 5 KOs. Three of the five fighters with whom he figured in draws were beaten in rematches. A fourth should?ve lost by knockout. ?Talagang ganyan ang boxing,? he said. ?Kung minsan, kalaban mo ang promoter. Yung Michael Enriquez umayaw na nga pero hindi tinigil ng referee at tinabla pa ang laban.?

Asked to describe his style, Heno said it?s a mix of Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Prince Naseem Hamed and Nonito Donaire, Jr. ?Kung minsan boxer, kung minsan fighter, depende sa kalaban,? he said. ?Importante sa akin utak at puso.?

Heno said he thrashed former world champion Merlito Sabillo in a 12-rounder in Bacolod last year but judge Romeo Sumalapao scored it 116-112 for his opponent while judge Lito de los Reyes saw it 118-110 and Ferdie Estrella 119-109 the other way. He won on a split decision but insisted it should have been unanimous. Heno said there was a conspiracy to bring him down. Before the weigh-in, he scaled 108 pounds. But when he stepped on the scales at the weigh-in, he was 103. Sabillo weighed in at 106 so Heno claimed he was 111 or three over the limit.

In May 2017, his fight against Japan?s Seita Ogito in Nakagami for the vacant OPBF 108-pound crown was declared a majority draw. In a rematch four months later in the same venue, Heno dropped Ogito twice before referee Yuji Fukuchi stopped it in the seventh. A few weeks ago, Heno was back in Japan and retained his OPBF crown via a one-sided decision over Koji Itagaki. It was his third defense of the throne.

Heno recently sought arbitration from the GAB to break his contract with manager Anson Tiu Co. The contract has three more years to go. Co agreed to release Heno on condition that he shares in the purses of his next three fights.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • United States Earns Four Gold Medals on Final Day of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Mon, 16 Mar 2026
  • Mexico wins 2 bronze medals at World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 16 Mar 2026
  • Arnold Barboza Jr. Shines in Welterweight Debut, Defeats Kenneth Sims Jr. to Claim Wbo Global Welterweight Title
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • WBC top contender Canoy returns to Davao with Unanimous Decision Victory
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • John Randall Peralta: The Future of the Philippine Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Alvin “Felemon” Dologuin Claims Win in Brico Santig’s Show in Thailand (PHOTOS)
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Donaire's Yokohama Showdown: Can our Filipino Flash Outshine the Rising Sun? (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Wins Five of Eight Bouts on Day Six
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpasses Chamberlain's record of 127 consecutive NBA games with 20 points or more
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • World-Ranked Light Heavyweight Najee Lopez Stops Mexican Terminator Manuel Gallego in Eight Classic Rounds in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Weigh-in from Highland Boxing in Bangkok, Thailand; Dologuin in Action (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Oval rules 35th CityHeights slugfest
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Sims vs. Barboza and Dickens vs. Cacace Headline Doubleheader on DAZN
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rubilen Amit sustains amazing run of victories at WPBA Pool in New York
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Weights Set in Anaheim: Barboza Jr. and Sims Jr. Ready for Welterweight War; Collazo Defends Titles
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rising Young Star Yoenis Tellez Takes on Top Contender Brian Mendoza in New Co-Main Event of PBC Pay-per-View Event Available on Prime Video Saturday, March 28
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Five USA Boxers Qualify for Medal Rounds on Day Six of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Rubilen Amit off to hot start in her WPBA debut
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Pavel Sosulin stops Victor Nagbe to remain unbeaten at IBA Pro 15 in Saint Petersburg
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Nicaraguan Boxing Commission hold Annual Awards to 2025 winners
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • BARBOZA JR. VS. SIMS JR. FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Skye Nicolson Headlines Huge Matchroom Boxing Homecoming in Melbourne as New Kayo Sports TV Era Begins on April 29
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Five Boxers Advance on Day Five of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Canoy to fight Balidio on March 14 in Matanao
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 13 Mar 2026
  • Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Lopez vs. Gallegos’ at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida, Tomorrow Night at 8 pm EDT
    , Fri, 13 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.