The two fighters will contest a WBO regional title at The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex, Paranaque City, Manila.

Paciones, who was awarded Prospect of The Year at the prestigious Pacquiao Elorde awards on April 30, welcomes the step up in opposition.

"I'm so happy my manager Cucuy Elorde and promoter Viva Promotions gave me a good opponent," Paciones (12-0, 7 KOs) told The Ring.

"I always told them, we wanted strong opponents, so we can know I am ready for big fights.

"I saw him in the ratings and when my manager told that I was going to fight him, I agreed fast because that guy can bring me to a different level."

The 21-year-old doesn't believe he will have to go looking for Laspona and feels one of his previous fights revealed something he might be able to exploit.

"I watched [him fight,] he's good at inside fighting and countering," Paciones explained.

"I feel like he can bring a good fight for me on the night. I'm not going to be surprised if it's a great fight. I know he's hungry to be a champion but I'm not going to let that happen. I saw his weakness - bodyshots. I saw his fight with [Robert] Paradero and his weakness. He was hurt and I was surprised how he got up. That shot is crazy."

Earlier in his career, Paciones had been linked with a fight for the vacant WBA junior flyweight title after Kenshiro Teraji moved up in weight and rues being denied a title opportunity.

"Erick Rosa was No. 1, I'm the No. 2 and we didn't know he has a fight coming up and when I look at the poster, his opponent was the No. 3 [Yudel Reyes] and I was like, 'C'mon, I'm the No. 2. Why didn't you approach us?'

"Rosa didn't want to fight me. We were just wasting time making [regional] title defenses, killing myself to make weight and then they don't want to fight me, so I thought I better go to 112."

Now up at flyweight, the Vietnam resident must emerge victorious against Laspona before zeroing in on a title opportunity.

"Hopefully, Anthony Olascuaga will give me the opportunity, I've been looking up to him since we were at 108," he said. "He fought Kenshiro for the unified title. I told my dad, 'One day I'm going to fight those guys.' I'm the [WBO] No. 5. I'm going to defend my [WBO regional] title and hopefully after this fight Olascuaga will give me the opportunity to fight him.

"He's an active fighter; he defended his belt five times. He's strong but all I can say and not to sound cocky, but he's never faced an opponent with my style. It's going to be interesting if me and him fight.

"I'm not just focusing on Olascuaga for a world title fight. Any of the other champions, [IBF ruler Masamichi] Yabuki, the winner of [WBA/WBC titlist Ricardo] Sandoval-[Galal] Yafai, I'm down to fight them. Any of them champions, I want to fight them."

Laspona (11-0, 7 KOs) turned pro in the summer of 2023 and was also initially a junior flyweight but has since grown into the flyweight division.

The 23-year-old got off the canvas to best experienced former world title challenger Paradero over 10 rounds last September before scoring a fifth-round stoppage of Arvin John Sampaga on December 21.