Headline News

Mike Perez sees big fight POSTPONED


Cork-Cuban cruiserweight Mike Perez [24(15)-3(1)-1] has seen his big fight next month postponed.

‘The Rebel’ was due to face top Congolese contender Ilunga Makabu [24(23)-2(2)] for the WBC Silver title on Saturday May 4th in the famous fight city of Kinshasha.

The fight has been put back to a to-be-confirmed date after Makabu was forced to withdraw with an unspecified injury.

Perez confirmed the news on social media, stating that “I’m so sorry to say that the fight which was meant to happen on the 4th of May in Kinshasa has been postponed due to my opponent’s injury. I will announce the new date in the coming weeks.”

Thankfully the fight seems to be postponed rather than shelved and 33-year-old Perez, ranked #10 with the WBC and holding their Fedelatin belt, retains his world title ambitions.

The Caribbean Leesider had stepped in to face the #4 contender after both Russian banger Dmitry Kudryashov and Nigerian gatekeeper Olanrewaju Durodola pulled out.

Perez is aiming to build towards a second shot at the full WBC title after being defeated in a messy challenge of Latvian champ Mairis Briedis in the quarter finals of the inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series back in 2017.

Acting as a reserve for the quarter-finals of Season Two of the WBSS, Perez scored a good win over Puerto Rican Keith Tapia to claim the WBC Fedelatin belt and enable the Makabu fight.

The current WBC world champion is Ukrainian star Oleksandr Usyk but the belt is set to soon become vacant and looks likely to be on the line alongside the WBO strap when Briedis takes on Pole Krzysztof Glowacki in the semis of the WBSS this summer.

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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