Carbajal to Put His IBF, WBC Titles on the Line : Boxing: He meets Kim Kwang-Sun in light-flyweight bout that might set up unification match. Pendleton defends IBF lightweight title against Paez.

Light-flyweight champion Michael Carbajal makes his first ring appearance since his epic battle last March against Humberto Gonzalez, and lightweight Jorge Paez is poised for an upset of Freddie Pendleton in a couple of pay-per-view title fights at Caesars Palace tonight.

Carbajal (28-0), of Phoenix, defends his International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council championships against South Korean Kim Kwang-Sun (6-1), and the colorful Paez (46-5-2) challenges Pendleton (34-17-4), the IBF lightweight champion.

Rafael Ruelas (36-1) of Sylmar fights Darryl Tyson (40-5-1) of Washington in a 10-round bout, and could wind up getting the Paez-Pendleton winner in 90 days if he beats Tyson.

Carbajal’s opponent, Kim, was a world-class amateur--he lost to East Los Angeles gold medalist Paul Gonzales in the 1984 Olympics before winning a gold medal at the 1988 Games--but has had only seven pro fights.

Carbajal has sparred 139 rounds since May against two Kim look-alikes, Jose Arreola and Hector Diaz, each of whom outweighs the 108-pound Carbajal by 14 pounds or more.

“I’ve been sparring with bigger guys, so I’ll feel pretty strong against Kim,” Carbajal said. “I’m in great shape--whatever happens, I’ll win.”

Carbajal, who will earn $250,000 tonight, hopes to fight another South Korean, Yuh Myung-Woo, the World Boxing Assn. champion, for the undisputed light-flyweight title.

Forum favorite Paez, from Mexicali, Mexico, has sparred about 100 rounds under his new trainer, Alex Sherer, who predicts an upset tonight.

“Pendleton is a fast starter, so we’ll let him set the early pace,” Sherer said. “But after the fourth round, I think Jorge will take over and beat him.”

If that happens, Ruelas will do a slow burn. He handily beat Paez at the Forum last November.