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He was good-looking, had a nice smile, and he was a boxer. Megan Almager could see all that.

But who was he, really?

She was pretty, a devoted mom to her two sons from a previous relationship, and she was into combat sports 鈥� a wrestling coach, in fact. Abraham Perez could see all that.

But who was she, really?

Asked and answered.

As sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Perez prepares for his bout against Mexico鈥檚 Adrian Ibarra on Friday, the main event of a pro boxing card at the Kiva Auditorium, he knows Almager will be in his corner 鈥� not physically, but in the sense that really matters 鈥� that night and for many to come.

And as Almager watches Perez match blows and tactics with Ibarra, she knows they鈥檒l go home together afterward 鈥� that night and for many to come.

For Perez, 26, sharing a home with a partner is a new experience. He鈥檇 been in relationships before, he said during a recent interview at an Old Town coffee house, but had never really felt a need or desire for a long-term commitment.

Now, he said, is the time.

He and Almager met at sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 FIT-NHB gym, where he was getting in some sparring and she was coaching her sons and other kids with Lockjaw Junior Wrestling.

鈥淪he said 鈥楬i,鈥欌�� he recalled. 鈥淔rom there, it took off.鈥�

They were just friends, not partners, in August 2024 when Perez nearly drowned in his family鈥檚 pool 鈥� having lost consciousness while doing breathing-control exercises in preparation for a bout. He鈥檇 been in a coma for three days, hospitalized for more than a week.

Some time later, Almager saw Perez in a television interview, speaking almost matter-of-factly about having almost died. And, yes, he鈥檇 been back in the pool.

鈥淚 cried,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t broke my heart to know that he went through something like that. 鈥� We were talking about the first time he got back into the pool. That鈥檚 something that, after people go through such a life-altering thing, a lot of people won鈥檛 go back.

鈥淗e was already a good person, but (that experience) made him even better. He touches more lives.鈥�

In past relationships, Perez sometimes had wondered. Was it Abraham the person this woman was interested in, or was it Abraham Perez, world-traveling amateur boxing champion and unbeaten, fast-rising pro with a promising future?

Such doubts involving Almager, if present all, quickly disappeared. Back home in Seminole, Texas, she鈥檇 been an athlete 鈥� swimming, soccer, softball, basketball.

鈥淚 wanted to box,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut I wasn鈥檛 allowed to.鈥�

Perez had seen her at FIT-NHB, coaching her kids and others. She was older than he, focused, mature. This was no star-struck groupie.

On their first date, they鈥檇 gone bowling and reserved a lane for two hours. They鈥檇 spent so much time talking that they hadn鈥檛 finished a single game before their time was up.

鈥淚t was the most fun,鈥� Almager said, 鈥渁nd it felt like he was my best friend.鈥�

In Almager, Perez found who he鈥檇 been looking for 鈥� even if, before they met, he hadn鈥檛 even been looking.

鈥淗er morals are there,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 good with kids, too. 鈥� She also motivates me to fast-forward on what I do.鈥�

Perez鈥檚 goals, Almager said, professionally and personally, 鈥渁ligned with mine. One subtle thing for me, I told him from the start, I鈥檓 a Christian. 鈥� He is as well.

鈥淓verything that I鈥檇 prayed for and wanted, he became even better.鈥�

Perez is sharing the couple鈥檚 South Valley home not just with Almager but with her two sons. It is not, he said, the culture shock one might imagine.

The home he grew up in, he said, is a revolving door of extended family members of all ages. 鈥淭he kids, my cousins 鈥� They鈥檙e around the age her boys are right now.鈥�

Perez fights at the flyweight limit of 112 pounds, which means eating right is important 鈥� especially as a fight approaches.

Again, it鈥檚 a perfect match.

鈥淢y boys (as wrestlers) have to cut weight,鈥� Almager said, 鈥渟o the food in the house kind of remains the same. Fruits, vegetables, chicken, eggs鈥� It鈥檚 a lifestyle.鈥�

Life partners, too, they both say.

鈥淪he鈥檚 a lifer with me,鈥� Perez said, 鈥漚lready.鈥�