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I bumped into Mike “the Rebel” Perez during the week. Though looking fit and obviously keeping in good shape, he confirmed that he was done with the pro boxing game. In his own words “it was just not the same after the Abdusalamov fight. Now I just want to look after my family”
His sentiments are very understandable. Though only 30 years old, an age they say when most Heavyweights are only peaking he has called it quits. Only fighters in his position can really understand what it’s like to be the one in the opposite corner when your opponent has suffered a serious injury.
In truth, they are often the forgotten ones in these unfortunate events. Boxing is a business; boxers fight mainly to earn a living and for the love of the sport – never to intentionally hurt anyone. It’s an occupational hazard in their chosen profession.
When someone does get hurt, the attention always switches to the injured victim – and understandably so. However, thoughts should also be spared for the other half of the act. They are the ones left with the demons and thoughts in their heads about the consequences of their actions.
We are all put together differently with God’s glue. How one person deals with the trauma is not necessarily a formula that will work for another. Only those that have been through that trauma like Barry McGuigan, The Eubanks and Mike Perez can appreciate and what it’s like to go through such perils. The soul searching and questioning of your conscious must be an unenviable burden for these men to unravel and conquer. They deserve all the support they can get for getting through these testing times. If Mike’s heart is no longer in the game, then who can fault him.
To be still in your physical prime and possess the talent he has, it must have been an incredibly difficult decision to make. All the more when you consider how open the heavyweight division has now become. To walk away now, knowing what you wanted to become all your life was still achievable is a hugely courageous decision by him.
Mike however is happy with his lot and deserves all our best wishes.
He certainly left his mark on Irish boxing and created quite a stir when he first burst on the scene in 2008. A former world junior gold medallist in 2004, Ismaikel Perez defected to Ireland in 2007 under the wing of Gary Hyde. Settling in Cork, he adjusted his name to Mike and adopted “The Rebel” nickname of his new home. He finished 2008 with an unblemished 6-0. He was 13-0 when he introduced himself to a wider audience by winning the Sky televised heavyweight prize-fighter tournament in 2011. After missing out on all of 2012, he was back on the winning trail on a Wladimir Klitschko card in Germany in May 2013. Craving for the big fights, his opportunity came against undefeated Russian, Magomed Abdusalamov for the WBC American title, in Madison Square Garden Theatre in November of that year.
The fight was being broadcasted by HBO and was the chief support to Gennaday Golovkin’s middleweight title defence. Against the betting favourite, Mike gave the performance of his life to out box the Russian in a gruelling encounter. On what should have been his greatest night, the celebrations soured when the demise of his vanquished foe came to light.
When he boxed again in January 2014, it was on a major bill in Canada and was only a few months on from the Abdusalamov bout. Very quickly, it became evident that all was not well with him.
His head was clearly not in the game. He was not over the events of that November night and it weighed heavily on him. A primed and focussed Perez would have been expected to deal with Carlos Takam with ease.
Instead he laboured to a fortuitous draw. Similarly, 6 months later, in a world title eliminator against Bryant Jennings, that cutting edge was gone from his game when he needed it. A fight he could have won was let slip from his grasp as he no longer had the desire to hammer home the opportunities to win the fight.
Two fights later, one win and one loss, that was it for Mike.
As already stated, we wish him (and his family all the best). He gave us some great memories and added a lot of excitement to the Irish boxing scene. Now away from the ring, hopefully he will now have the peace of mind he no longer had inside it. He deserves that at the very least.
I bumped into Mike “the Rebel” Perez during the week. Though looking fit and obviously keeping in good shape, he confirmed that he was done with the pro boxing game. In his own words “it was just not the same after the Abdusalamov fight. Now I just want to look after my family”
His sentiments are very understandable. Though only 30 years old, an age they say when most Heavyweights are only peaking he has called it quits. Only fighters in his position can really understand what it’s like to be the one in the opposite corner when your opponent has suffered a serious injury.
In truth, they are often the forgotten ones in these unfortunate events. Boxing is a business; boxers fight mainly to earn a living and for the love of the sport – never to intentionally hurt anyone. It’s an occupational hazard in their chosen profession.
When someone does get hurt, the attention always switches to the injured victim – and understandably so. However, thoughts should also be spared for the other half of the act. They are the ones left with the demons and thoughts in their heads about the consequences of their actions.
We are all put together differently with God’s glue. How one person deals with the trauma is not necessarily a formula that will work for another. Only those that have been through that trauma like Barry McGuigan, The Eubanks and Mike Perez can appreciate and what it’s like to go through such perils. The soul searching and questioning of your conscious must be an unenviable burden for these men to unravel and conquer. They deserve all the support they can get for getting through these testing times. If Mike’s heart is no longer in the game, then who can fault him.
To be still in your physical prime and possess the talent he has, it must have been an incredibly difficult decision to make. All the more when you consider how open the heavyweight division has now become. To walk away now, knowing what you wanted to become all your life was still achievable is a hugely courageous decision by him.
Mike however is happy with his lot and deserves all our best wishes.
He certainly left his mark on Irish boxing and created quite a stir when he first burst on the scene in 2008. A former world junior gold medallist in 2004, Ismaikel Perez defected to Ireland in 2007 under the wing of Gary Hyde. Settling in Cork, he adjusted his name to Mike and adopted “The Rebel” nickname of his new home. He finished 2008 with an unblemished 6-0. He was 13-0 when he introduced himself to a wider audience by winning the Sky televised heavyweight prize-fighter tournament in 2011. After missing out on all of 2012, he was back on the winning trail on a Wladimir Klitschko card in Germany in May 2013. Craving for the big fights, his opportunity came against undefeated Russian, Magomed Abdusalamov for the WBC American title, in Madison Square Garden Theatre in November of that year.
The fight was being broadcasted by HBO and was the chief support to Gennaday Golovkin’s middleweight title defence. Against the betting favourite, Mike gave the performance of his life to out box the Russian in a gruelling encounter. On what should have been his greatest night, the celebrations soured when the demise of his vanquished foe came to light.
When he boxed again in January 2014, it was on a major bill in Canada and was only a few months on from the Abdusalamov bout. Very quickly, it became evident that all was not well with him.
His head was clearly not in the game. He was not over the events of that November night and it weighed heavily on him. A primed and focussed Perez would have been expected to deal with Carlos Takam with ease.
Instead he laboured to a fortuitous draw. Similarly, 6 months later, in a world title eliminator against Bryant Jennings, that cutting edge was gone from his game when he needed it. A fight he could have won was let slip from his grasp as he no longer had the desire to hammer home the opportunities to win the fight.
Two fights later, one win and one loss, that was it for Mike.
As already stated, we wish him (and his family all the best). He gave us some great memories and added a lot of excitement to the Irish boxing scene. Now away from the ring, hopefully he will now have the peace of mind he no longer had inside it. He deserves that at the very least.
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