BOXING
Can Perez add to NM legacy of success against Filipino fighters?
Can local boxer make it 7-0 against Philippines' Esneth Domingo?
The Philippines has a proud boxing history: Flash Elorde, Nonito Donaire, Luisito Espinoza, Brian Viloria, Gerry Penalosa and (of course) Manny Pacquiao 鈥� all world champions. That鈥檚 mentioning just a few.
New Mexico鈥檚 top fighters, however, past and present, have had their way with Filipino opponents.
So far.
Josh Torres (Ranee Ganoy), Matt Griego-Ortega (Jeronil Borres, Merlito Sabillo), Abraham Perez (Borres), the retired world champion Danny Romero (Arman Pedemonte) and the late world champion Johnny Tapia (Rolando Bohol) are a combined 6-0 against fighters from that southeast Asian island nation.
Saturday night on a Legacy Promotions card, Perez will seek to make it 7-0 when he steps into the ring at the Embassy Suites against the Philippines鈥� Esneth Domingo.
The vacant IBF Inter-Continental flyweight (112-pound) title will be at stake.
Domingo (22-4, 14 knockouts), from Lebak, Sultan Kudarat province, presents Perez with a significantly sterner challenge than did Borres, his first Filipino foe, whom Perez defeated by third-round TKO.
Bearing the nickname 鈥淗ard Hitter,鈥� Domingo has a jaw to match. In his 26 pro fights, he鈥檚 never been stopped short of the prescribed distance.
Video of Domingo鈥檚 most recent fight, a loss by decisive unanimous decision to countryman Miel Fajardo in a bout for the then-vacant IBF Pan Pacific flyweight title, reveals toughness, aggressiveness and ring savvy.
鈥淎n aggressive-type style, a straightforward-type style, nothing fancy as far as angles,鈥� Perez said. 鈥淲hat I鈥檓 thinking may happen (Saturday) is he鈥檚 probably gonna bring some pressure.鈥�
What the video of the Fajardo fight does not show from Domingo is the tradecraft that Perez, a former Golden Gloves and USA Boxing national amateur champion and the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials champion, has developed over the years.
鈥淐rafty,鈥� in fact, was the word Perez used during interviews after Friday鈥檚 weigh-in as key to his fight plan for Saturday.
Against Fajardo, Domingo was the less-crafty fighter in the ring that night in Manila. He was outboxed almost throughout and was knocked down by an uppercut 鈥� he was not significantly hurt 鈥� in the 10th and final round.
After Friday鈥檚 weigh-in, Domingo called Saturday鈥檚 bout, his first in the United States 鈥� he has fought in Japan and South Africa 鈥� a golden opportunity.
鈥淭his is a very important fight for me,鈥� he said.
Of Perez, he said, 鈥淭his is very good experience for me to fight Abraham Perez, because he鈥檚 a good fighter.鈥�
Perez weighed in on Friday at 111 pounds, Domingo at 110.2 pounds.
FINDING A FOE: In reaching out for Domingo, Aaron Perez 鈥� Abraham鈥檚 father, trainer and the promoter with partner Gabriel Carlin of Saturday鈥檚 card 鈥� said he wasn鈥檛 seeking to match his son with an opponent of a certain style. He鈥檚 confident, he said, that Abraham can adjust to whatever style and strategy an opponent presents.
What he liked about Domingo, he said, was his impressive record and the potential for career advancement he presents.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to look for the best record available,鈥� he said, 鈥渟omething that鈥檚 going to help (Abraham) get ranked.鈥�
Aaron Perez said he hadn鈥檛 viewed any of Domingo鈥檚 previous fights before offering him the fight.
鈥淚 looked at his record,鈥� he said. 鈥溾�� If we鈥檙e going to become a world champion, then we have to beat this guy.鈥�
Only after securing Domingo as an opponent did Aaron Perez watch him on video.
He likes the challenge he presents as someone his son can look good against.
If the fight goes according to plan, he hopes, boxing people will take notice.
鈥�(Domingo鈥檚) a warrior,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got twice the experience as Abraham does in the pros. He鈥檚 fought some tough opponents.
鈥淥n paper, it looks like a step up.鈥�
THE UNDERCARD: If the records are any indication, sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Josh Torres (28-7-2, 15 KOs) appears to be in for an easy night in a six-round co-main event against Mexico鈥檚 Gerardo Alberto Fuentes (4-14-1, two KOs).
The bout will be Torres鈥� second after a 16-month layoff. He defeated Christian Aguirre by unanimous (but by no means easy) decision on Dec. 12.
Torres, a career welterweight (147 pounds), weighed in below the super welterweight limit at 151 pounds. Fuentes weighed in at 151.6 pounds.
In perhaps the most interesting undercard bout, Kirtland鈥檚 Elija Martinez (6-1, one KO) is matched against Rio Rancho鈥檚 Bryant McClain (6-7-3, one KO) in a scheduled four-round bout.
Martinez, a southpaw, is among the most skilled boxers to come out of the New Mexico amateur ranks in recent years. McClain, the son of former IBC cruiserweight champion Sean McClain, is never not aggressive.
Can McClain force Martinez out of his comfort zone? We鈥檒l see.
Eight bouts are scheduled.
