MIKE PEREZ WINS FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL PRIZEFIGHTER TITLE

Posted on | May 8, 2011 | No Comments

Unbeaten Irish-based Cuban Heavyweight eyes big names after two KOs

Mike Perez was crowned the first ever Prizefighter International champion, blasting his way to victory with two first round wins on a knockout Heavyweight night at Alexandra Palace, London.

Irish-based Cuban Perez extended his unbeaten record to 16 fights and stopped American Tye Fields in just 42 seconds of the first round of the final with a typically savage attack that forced the referee to intervene.

The southpaw finalists ended their respective semi-finals inside the first round but Perez was a hot-favourite to see off Fields, and the 25 year-old amateur star looks like one to watch on the heavyweight scene and he is targeting big things after claiming the trophy and the £32,000 winner’s cheque

“I want to face one of the big names – the Klitschko’s, David Haye – I am good enough to win titles and whoever wants to fight me for their titles, I’m want to fight them,” said Perez. “I got better as the fights went on and I wanted to prove to those people who have helped me like my trainer and my family that they were right to back me.”

Perez had too much for Kerston Manswell in the opening bout of the night, firing into the Trinidad and Tobago fighter in the first 30 seconds forcing him to take a knee. Manswell battled gamely but Perez had too much for him and coasted to a unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 30-25 in Perez’s favour.

Giant Russian Evgeny Orlov and French heavyweight champion Gregory Tony clashed in the second quarter-final and in a red white and blue tricolour tussle, and one that France celebrated after Tony claimed the split-decision over his 6ft 9in opponent.

Another split-decision was needed as UK Prizefighter Champion Michael Sprott took on Fields in the third quarter-final of the night, with the tournament sparking into life in a topsy-turvy second round where Sprott rocked the American with a beautiful right hand but Fields then came right back at his English foe. Both men knew the final round would be decisive, and it was Fields’ work-rate that caught the judges’ eye and dumped the Prizefighter Heavyweights IV champion out of the tournament.

Konstantin Airich set up his semi-final with Fields after putting Romanian Lucian Bot down in the first round of the fourth quarter-final and that was decisive in the German taking Bot’s unbeaten record.

The semi-finals were over in a flash as Perez floored the Frenchman in just 15 second and the contest was all over inside a minute as the Cuban outclassed Tony. Anything Perez could do, Fields could certainly match though and a brutal body shot saw off the Airich in just 74 seconds for his 42 knockout to set-up the final with Perez.

Prizefighter returns on June 7 as the Welterweights II take over York Hall, Bethnal Green, with a full announcement on the line-up to be made soon.

RESULTS

Quarter-finals

Mike Perez beat Kerston Manswell – unanimous decision 30-25, 30-25, 30-25
Gregory Tony beat Evgeny Orlov – split decision 29-28, 28-29, 30-27
Tye Fields beat Michael Sprott – split decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28
Konstantin Airich beat Lucian Bot – unanimous decision 30-27, 29-28, 30-27

Semi-finals

Mike Perez beat Gregory Tony – first round stoppage (54 seconds)
Tye Fields beat Konstantin Airich – first round knockout (1 minute 14 seconds)

Final

Mike Perez beat Tye Fields – first round stoppage (42 seconds)