Edward Heno hits LA ahead of his WBO title fight versus Elwin Sotto
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Oct 2019
Heno (C) with Dr Ed de la Vega (L).
We have to hand it to Sean Gibbons, the new president of the Manny Pacquiao Promotions. Gibbons, to say the least knows how to handle the MP fighters.
Take for instance, Edward Heno (14-0-5,5KO) the light flyweight prot?g?e of Martin Elorde of Paranaque City.
Heno is the current Orient Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight champion. He has successive wins lately including an impressive win over former world champion, Merlito Sabillo the ex-ALA boxer formerly based in Cebu. Sabillo is not a fly-by-night champion. He was a skillful fighter albeit not like the ALA prized boxer, former world champion, Donnie Nietes. But, Sabillo is a warrior. I know as I worked his corner when he fought in Monterey, Mexico.
Sean Gibbons covers all the bases when he sends MP fighters to fight, locally or abroad. Before he flew to Manila last week, he asked for a special favor for Edward Heno.
Heno apparently is in need of a cutman when he fights Elwin Soto (15-1-0,11KO) for the WBO Light flyweight belt on October 24th at the Fantasy Springs Casino at Indio, California under the auspices of the Golden Boy Promotions.
Gibbons with the consent of Martin Elorde requested me to work as cutman for Heno. Of course I accepted. How can I reject an opportunity to help a fellow Filipino win a world title? These opportunities don?t come up too often and I know exactly the priceless feeling of seeing your fighter win, much like when I worked the corner of Senator Manny Pacquiao at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Donnie Nietes many times.
Besides, Heno?s need for a reliable cutman, he also needs a great mouthguard to replace the ?boil and bite? mouthpiece he currently uses.
But there was one issue. Heno and his trainers need to be in Las Vegas by Monday afternoon after keeping a medical appointment at San Pedro, CA for the required medical checkup and paper work for the fight. They arrived in LA Sunday at noon thus leaving him only Sunday afternoon to get his mouthguard done. Thus Gibbons asked if I could accommodate Heno on a Sunday afternoon.
My reply to Gibbons was this- "send him over to my offices straight from the LAX and I will make him a custom mouthguard in three hours?.
True enough Coach Ting Arriosa of Team Pacquiao, picked up Heno and his coach, Roel Durano and drove them straight from LAX to my Canoga Park, CA offices, a 21.61-mile drive. They arrived a little after 1:00 PM and by 3:30 PM Heno had his custom designed, fabricated and fitted mouthguard done. The mouthguard has four colors, red, white, blue and yellow depicting the colors of the Philippine flag.
?I will wear this proudly and hopefully, like the ones you made for Donnie Nietes when he won the same belt I am going after, I will win and bring pride to myself, my family and the country,? Heno stated.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
It’s in the blood
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 19 May 2026“The fans will be the true winners” – Angel Ayala ready for IBA PRO 18 in Mexico City
Tue, 19 May 2026Rematch option for Melvin
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 19 May 2026World-class stablemates John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez & Darius ‘DFG’ Fulghum fighting on same card Friday night in San Jose
Tue, 19 May 2026Ignacio Defeats Malayan to Claim Title and USD 10,000 Prize
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 19 May 2026USA Boxing Elite High Performance Squad Dominates Day One of 2026 Copa America with 11-0 Record
Tue, 19 May 2026Reina Tellez Returns to the Ring Following World Title Challenge Against Amanda Serrano
Mon, 18 May 2026Mombay, Garras top Helubong 50km Uphill Ultra Challenge
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 18 May 2026Arijan Goricki Knocks Out Hassan Ndonga in Nairobi
Mon, 18 May 2026USA Boxing's High Performance Squad Sets Sights on Gold at 2026 Copa America
Mon, 18 May 2026Team Sugar Rush wins Sir Jessie Villasin Chess Team 2X2 Tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 18 May 2026Paolo Gallito, 6 others in the last 16 in Malaysia
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 17 May 2026Keyshawn Davis Returns Home With Decision Win Over Nahir Albright
Sun, 17 May 2026Heartbreak in Johannesburg: Jerusalem Dethroned by Kuse in Bloody Rematch
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 17 May 2026Roy Jones Jr. Blasts Dana White and Zuffa’s Push to Reshape Boxing During Explosive “Boxing Primetime Show” Interview
Sat, 16 May 2026