Mike Perez

Professional Career

Mike Perez, a Cuban-born boxer who later represented Ireland, has had an illustrious professional career marked by significant victories and notable challenges. Perez began his career in January 2008 with a first-round TKO against Jevgēņijs Stamburskis. His early years were characterized by a series of quick finishes, including numerous first-round knockouts, such as his victories over Sándor Balogh and Howard Daley in 2008. This string of dominant performances quickly established Perez as a formidable force in the heavyweight division.

Perez’s success continued with his participation in the Prizefighter series in 2011, where he showcased his skills by winning three consecutive bouts on the same night. He defeated Kertson Manswell, Gregory Tony, and Tye Fields, all by stoppage, to win the Prizefighter 18: The International Heavyweights tournament. This achievement further solidified his reputation and provided a springboard for more high-profile fights. In November 2013, Perez captured the WBC–USNBC heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Magomed Abdusalamov. This win was significant, as it highlighted Perez’s ability to compete at a high level and maintain his stamina and skill over a longer bout. However, Perez faced setbacks in the following years, including a split decision loss to Bryant Jennings in July 2014 and a first-round knockout loss to Alexander Povetkin in May 2015 for the WBC Silver heavyweight title.

Despite these challenges, Perez made a successful transition to the cruiserweight division. He won the vacant WBA Fedelatin cruiserweight title with a unanimous decision over Keith Tapia in October 2018 and continued his resurgence with impressive victories. In August 2021, Perez claimed the vacant WBA Inter-Continental cruiserweight title by knocking out Tony Salam in the fourth round in Dubai. He followed this with a TKO victory over Argentina Jose Gregorio Ulrich in November 2021.