By Francisco Salazar
Youth versus experience – it’s among the many clichés in boxing today.
Decarlo Perez is well aware of the perception that experience often conquers youth. He knows all about being a young boxer, even if viewed more as a fringe contender today.
While only 24 years of age, Perez (who turns 25 in two weeks) banks on his experience to overcome unbeaten middleweight prospect Rob Brant. The two will square off Friday evening in a scheduled 10-round Showtime-televised main event as part of the network’s ShoBox: The New Generation series, live from Casino del Sol in Tucson, Arizona.
The pair of middleweights have roughly the same number of pro fights, although of the two it is Perez (15-3-1, 5KOs) who has endured more bumps along the way.
The Atlantic City-based, Philly-bred boxer was held to a draw in his pro debut before winning his next five in a row. From there came the hard times, as all three career losses have come over a nine-fight stretch spanning 28 months.
Included among the lot is a highly questionable split decision in favor of Wilky Campfort in Jan. ’14, in fact almost two years to the date of his upcoming crossroads bout with Brant (18-0, 11KOs).
Four straight wins have followed as he rides a wave of momentum into his fourth consecutive televised appearance, including second in a row on Showtime. In his last bout on August 28, Perez defeated Juan Ubaldo Cabrera by unanimous decision over 10 rounds.
Brant also enjoys back-to-back Showtime fights. The unbeaten boxer from Minnesota is coming off a 10 round majority decision over Louis Rose on October 23.
“I believe he (Brant) may be underestimating me,” Perez told Boxingscene.com in a recent interview over the phone. “I believe I've fought the better top opposition. As far as my losses go, I know in my heart I could be an unbeaten fighter. In the (Grayson) Blake fight (his first loss), I went into the fight unbeaten and that fight humbled me. In the (Rafael) Montalvo fight, I was not fighting at the weight where I should have been fighting at.
“There are those who thought I won the Campfort fight. I felt I won every single round and people kept telling me after the fight that there was no way I should've lost. I moved on and I learned from those fights. If you take that mentality where you learn something from each defeat, you actually win. Aside from Campfort (who lost to Jermall Charlo in their title fight last November), look where I'm at now compared to the other fighters.”
Refusing to allow the sport to cast him aside, Perez continues to fight tough and train hard, including several grueling sessions with unbeaten Philly super welterweight Julian Williams.
Outside the ring, Perez works full-time as a physical therapist at a regional medical center in Atlantic City. The long hours in and out of the gym may take a toll on people, but Perez gets great satisfaction from working both professions.
“My day starts at 5:30 a.m. I run, then I do strength and conditioning work for about an hour and a half, and then I go to the gym around 1 p.m.,” Perez says of his daily regimen. “I train until I go to work at the regional center from 4:30 to (midnight). I do that six times a week.
“I have a great support team. My girlfriend and my grandparents helped me stay humbled and focused on my goals. I made a promise to my grandfather for this fight that I'm winning that (NABA middleweight) title for him. It would mean a lot for me to win that title for him.”
Perez has a great deal of momentum moving forward, especially after beating an unbeaten fighter in Cabrera. Despite the earlier pitfalls, he is relatively young – in fact four months Brant’s junior - and could open many doors should he come out victorious against Brant.
His past losses may not reflect the boxer that Perez is today, but has certainly helped shape him into present form.
“I have fought tough fights. I believe I've fought the better opposition than Brant,” Perez insists. “I've proven I have the skills and I'm going to put everything forward. I have that old-school mentality and I believe in me. I'm ready for Friday. I'm at 110 percent. I'm moving forward to fulfill another promise of winning a world title belt in 2017.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
