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Abraham Perez Wins WBA Interim
Flyweight World Championship With
Split Decision Over Jonathan Gonzalez
Abraham Perez won the WBA Interim World Flyweight Title with
a split decision victory of defending champion Jonathan
Gonzalez Sunday on DAZN from GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand
Rapids. The close and competitive fight was scored 115-113
twice for Perez and 115-113 for Gonzalez.
The event was promoted by Salita Promotions, with the main
card airing live on DAZN while the undercard streamed live
on the Wynn Records Network.
Albuquerque native Perez (15-0, 7 KOs) seemingly dictated
the pace and distance of the evenly matched bout from the
outset. The undefeated contender, who swept the championship
rounds on all but one scorecard, was able to keep Gonzalez
largely at bay and landed the stronger shots when it
mattered most.
“I stayed busy and had the better angles on my shots,” Perez
said. “I took opportunities when I had them and stayed
mobile, tried to stay unpredictable. I still don’t feel like
that was my best. I need to stay sharp with my punches. It’s
been a rough journey, but it didn’t end.”
When asked by DAZN commentator Naji Grampus if he would like
to face full WBA Champion Ricardo Sandoval, Perez said: “If
he’s willing, I would like it. If it’s not next, I will wait
to get it.”
After the impressive performance, Dmitriy Salita drew
parallels to Albuquerque greats Johnny Tapia and Danny
Romero, who both shined in the lower weight classes while
teasing a return to one of boxing’s great fight towns.
“One of the great boxing towns in the U.S. is Albuquerque
and now that they have a world champion, maybe we will have
his first defense there. Albuquerque has a great boxing
history and is one of America’s overlooked fight towns. We
think Abraham could become a star there and help bring it
back to the spotlight.”
Gonzalez (29-5-1, 14 KOs) was making the first defense of
the interim belt and admitted he disagreed with the
decision.
“I won the fight, I landed the better shots,” Gonzalez said.
“He throws a lot of punches, but I thought I landed the
better shots. I’m disappointed and surprised, but it’s part
of the sport.”
The Caguas native was escorted to the ring by youth
representatives of the Puerto Rican Cultural Committee of
Western Michigan paying homage to New York’s Puerto Rican
Day Parade.
In the DAZN co-feature, hometown favorite Joshua Pagan won a
near-shutout unanimous decision over Rodolfo Bustamante to
successfully defend his WBO NABO Lightweight Title.
Pagan (16-0, 5 KOs) found his grove in the second and
consistently had his opponent in trouble against the ropes,
pressing forward with a mix of combos to the head and body.
Just when it looked like Bustamante (23-2-1, 13 KOs) was
bouncing back after a disappointing third, Pagan landed a
huge right in the final minute of the fourth that stunned
his Mexican counterpart.
It was more of the same dominance in the fifth and sixth,
with Pagan pocketing rounds and forcing Bustamante to eat
constant unanswered shots against the ropes. Pagan kept his
foot on the gas over the final three rounds and was never in
trouble, cruising to a clear decision that thrilled his
hometown crowd and was scored 99-91, 98-92,100-90.
“I’d rate my performance tonight a solid B – I know I could
have done better and probably could have gotten him out of
there, but a little cage rust played a factor,” said Pagan
after the fight. “I’ll watch the tape and improve. My
opponent was incredibly tough – he's a classic Mexican
fighter from Culiacán with great counterpunching skills and
a ton of heart. I’m ready for bigger opportunities, and I
absolutely see myself fighting for a major title within my
next fight or two."
Undefeated middleweight prospect Jaquan McElroy won a
shutout unanimous decision victory over Damian Munoz in the
second DAZN bout of the evening.
McElroy (7-0, 2 KOs) displayed superior movement and
accuracy from the outset, picking up the pace in the third
to sail to a clear decision victory. Munoz (4-3, 2 KOs)
landed perhaps the biggest shot of the fight in the final
round, but it did little to faze McElroy, who won 62-54 on
all three scorecards in front of his promoter and fellow
Flint, Mich., native Claressa Shields.
“I tried to showcase my skills for everyone here tonight,”
said McElroy. “It means a lot to have her here supporting
me. Big things are coming.”
After commentating on the DAZN broadcast, Shields joined her
fighter in the ring following the win to tease an upcoming
announcement.
“More and more big fights are coming,” Shields said. “I
can’t say who, where or what weight class, but it’s coming.
All my fans are going to show up and Jaquan will be on the
undercard. We’re building a strong brand and we have some
great fights in the works.”
In the all-action opening bout on DAZN, new Salita
Promotions signee Caleb Tirado won a hard-fought unanimous
decision over Osmar Rodriguez, scored 59-55, 58-56 twice.
The Puerto Rico vs. Mexico matchup did not disappoint, as
both Arecibo’s Tirado (2-0, 1 KO) and Rodriguez exchanged
explosive shots from the opening bell with little regard for
defense. After an intense exchange in the closing moments of
the second round, the steady pace continued in the third and
fourth rounds. While Tirado won handily, Rodriguez (6-7, 2
KOs), of San Luis Potosi, did his best work in the last two
rounds, culminating in slugfest for the final 30 seconds
that had the crowd on their feet.
In the Wynn Records Network main event, undefeated
middleweight contender Troy Isley (16-0, 6 KOs) scored two
knockdowns en route to a fifth round TKO of Leonardo Di
Stefano (17-8, 14 KOs). Isley scored his first knockdown in
the fourth and kept his foot on the gas, flooring Di Stefano
again in the fifth. Di Stefano was able to beat the count
but continued to take a beating without returning fire,
forcing referee Ben Rodriguez to stop the bout at :55 of the
fifth round.
“I made a statement that puts the middleweight division on
notice,” said Isley, who won the WBA Continental USA
Middleweight Title. “I was sharp right from the opening
bell, did everything we worked on in camp, and got the
stoppage right when I predicted I would. My opponent
definitely came to fight, but I don't want easy victories
anyway. We want the big fights – I want Erislandy Lara and
Carlos Adames. I’m ready for the world title shot.”
Added Wynn Records Network CEO Ruben Branson: “I think Troy
made a huge statement. Troy told me he wouldn’t let me down
and everything he said, he did. We can expect bigger and
better things from Troy Isley.”
Also on the undercard, undefeated super lightweight Lance
Smith (7-0, 5 KOs) edged Jovanis Rodriguez (2-1-2, 1 KOs)
via unanimous decision (39-37 twice, 40-36) in an all-action
four-round bout.
Undefeated heavyweight prospect and Flint native Sadarius
Simmons (9-0, 5 KOs) scored a sensational second round
knockout (1:02) of Walter Burns (8-5, 6 KOs). Simmons was
aggressive from the opening bell, landing a massive left
hook to the body followed by a brutal right cross to the
chin that sent Burns crumbling to the canvas in the second.
In a women’s streaming bout, undefeated featherweight
Shannel Butler (8-0, 3 KOs) won an eight-round unanimous
decision (80-72, 79-73 twice) over Mayerlin Rivas (17-7-3,
11 KOs).
In the opening fight of the afternoon on Wynn Records
Network, former heavyweight world title challenger Bryant
Jennings (27-4, 15 KOs) scored a third-round knockdown en
route to a unanimous decision win over Robert Simms (12-7-1,
3 KOs). The eight-round bout was scored 80-71 twice, 79-72.
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