Abraham Perez Wins WBA Interim Flyweight World Championship With Split Decision Over Jonathan Gonzalez – Breaking Boxing News

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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