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PINOY PRIDE 16: CAN PEREZ PULL OFF AN UPSET? By Rene Bonsubre, Jr. PhilBoxing.com Tue, 18 Sep 2012  CEBU CITY ? Cebu sportswriters had a very interesting chat with a cool and confident Jean Piero Perez of Venezuela during a press conference held Tuesday noon at the Baseline Restaurant. The 31 year old Perez (19W-4L-1D, 14 KO's) will fight unbeaten WBO International flyweight champion Milan ?El Metodico? Melindo (27W-0L, 11 KO's) this Saturday in the main event of Pinoy Pride XVI: Venezuelan Invasion. ?I came here to win. I am prepared, if the knockout comes, it will come.? Perez said, ?I don't want to study films of my opponents. But on the night of the fight, everything will be clear.? Perez has moved and trained in Panama for the past eight years. He is a stablemate of Carlos Melo, who lost to Melindo at the Cebu Coliseum in 2008.That fight is remembered for another reason ? AJ Banal's loss to Rafael Concepcion of Panama. Perez' trainer, Francisco Arroyo, was in Concepcion's corner on that fateful night. ?I have been here before,? Arroyo said, ?We won the last time we were here.? Arroyo is also a former IBF Intercontinental bantamweight champion. ?I know Melindo is fast and has good technique.? Perez, who is also ranked number 4 by the WBA, added, ?This will be a difficult fight. But there are many boxing afficionados in Venezuela, relatives and friends, who are waiting for the good news after the fight.? Perez is a a former amateur fighter who had the late Edwin Valero as a team mate on their national boxing team. Perez had 288 fights with 15 losses as an amateur. ?Valero was a good friend.? he said. ?His death affected me, we were close.? Perez admires Filipino boxers Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire. He said that because Valero is his countryman and friend, he would be rooting for him had the match with Pacquiao materialized. ?I admire Pacquiao both as a fighter and as a person,? he added. Perez had nice things to say about the host city. ?I admire the hospitality. I have been treated very well. People are very warm.? Perez is tall for his weight, and even looks like a bantamweight. He considers Jesus Jimenez, who he beat for the WBA interim flyweight title as his toughest opponent. Perez vs Melindo will be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel September 22. The supporting main event is the OPBF flyweight title bout between champion Rocky Fuentes and Myung Ho Lee of Japan. TRIVIA: Way back in 1991, a Venezuelan boxer pulled off a shocking upset inside the historic Araneta Coliseum. Israel Contreras dethroned WBA Bantamweight champion Luisito Espinosa by fifth round knockout. 
TEAM PEREZ (L-R): Trainer Francisco Arroyo, Perez, Cutman Lucio La Mejia and Notifight Asia Editor and PhilBoxing's Carlos Costa. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..  |
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