Pinoy boxer to challenge WBC youth champ

FILE: Former World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver super bantamweight champion Rey “Technician” Perez (Photo: Rey Padilla Perez/Facebook)

DAVAO CITY — Former WBC Youth Silver super bantamweight champion Rey “Technician” Perez of the Philippines will be challenging the undefeated WBC Youth Silver Super featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr. of USA on November 30 at The Theater of the MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland, USA.

It is the main event of promoter Oscar Dela Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions with Roberto Diaz as the matchmaker. It will be shown on ESPN USA and web ESPN 3.

“This is the fight that we want for Perez,” said new manager Rey “Cacoi” Rodis Jr. of RED Boxing International.

It will be the first ring assignment of the 27-year-old Perez in the Los Angeles, California-based RED Boxing International since he arrived in the US last October.

Perez (21W, 8L-0D, 6 KOs) has been training under his former Filipino trainer Jules Tagalog and with four-time world champion Leo Santa Cruz’ father Leo Santa Cruz Sr. and trainer Antonio Santa Cruz at the Santa Cruz Gym in Los Angeles.

“My condition is okay since I’ve been training for two months now with the complete support from my manager with free vitamins, food and equipment,” said Perez, who hails from Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.

He has sparred already with some of the boxers at the Santa Cruz Gym, including former USA Kansas State super lightweight champion Herbert Acevedo (14W-2L-0D, 6 KOs).

The unbeaten Roach (15W, 6 KOs) had publicly announced that he “is lifting weights so” he could knock off Perez’ head.

“All that I can say to him is that he will cry after the fight,” said Perez.

“He (Roach) will cry because his record will get dirty,” said Perez, adding he was able to survive his past fights in the US despite only having five days of notice.

Unlike with this upcoming fight, Perez has already been informed earlier two months ago.

Roach, on the other hand, captured the vacant WBC Youth Silver super featherweight title by knocking out Alejandro Valdez in the first round last January 28 at the Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio.

Roach retained his title via a unanimous decision against Jesus Valdez last June 30 at the same venue.

In his last fight, Roach stopped Luis Hinojosa by a 1st round technical knockout last October 21 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona.

“Roach is a good fighter. But he’s just on our path to becoming world champion (and) he (Roach) needs to be eliminated,” said Rodis, a nephew of former WBC world super featherweight champion Rene Barrientos (39W-7L-2D, 14 KOs).

The Roach-Perez 10-rounder is mainly supported by the WBO International super featherweight championship between Jose Lopez (19-1-1) and Miguel Angel Gonzales (21-3-0).