Mike Perez has already had some career, this whilst fighting at both heavyweight and cruiserweight. Now aged 39, the Irish-Cuban southpaw has not exactly been on the radar these past couple of years or so. But the former world title challenger returned to action on December 24, and he wiped out Israel Duffus inside a minute. This was Perez’s first fight in some months, and now that he’s back, “The Rebel” is calling for some serious smoke at 200 pounds.
Currently 30-3-1, Perez spoke with Sky Sports and he said he would fight both British fighters, Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe, “in the same night.” Not only that, but Perez said Jai Opetaia, “hasn’t gone through me yet.” Perez, who has been boxing at the pro level since January of 2008 – and has faced numerous big and recognizable names, including Magomed Abdusalamov (who sadly suffered life-changing brain damage in the November 2013 fight), Carlos Takam, Bryant Jennings, Alexander Povetkin, and Mairis Briedis – says he would love to get it on with the unbeaten Opetaia by the end of the year.
And to earn his shot, Perez says, he would take on and defeat Billam-Smith and/or Riakporhe.
“I would love to fight Richard Riakporhe. I would love to fight Chris Billam-Smith. I can fight both of them in the same night,” Perez said. “I have done it not once, I have done it twice (Perez may be referring to the “Prizefighter” tournament he engaged in back in May of 2011, when he fought three times that same night, while Perez also boxed twice on the same night in May of 2010). I can fight both of these guys on the same night. Then, by the end of the year, this guy who everyone is calling a monster, Jai Opetaia. He’s the next superstar at cruiserweight? Well, he hasn’t gone through me yet. I would love to fight him at the end of the year.”
Big talk from Perez, I’m sure you will agree. Perez can still bang, as he showed in his quick comeback win. But can Perez still hang with the best in the world, much less beat the elite? Opetaia seems like an unstoppable fighter right now, and chances are he has never even heard of Perez. It would be quite the climb back to the top level for Perez – who last boxed a world class bout in 2017, this the points loss to Briedis – if he could get as far as challenging for a major title at this stage of his career.
Perez, on his night, was some handful, but can he defeat a contender like a Billam-Smith or a Riakporhe today? As for the idea of Perez fighting both guys on the same night, you can forget it. There’s no way the BBB of C would allow such a thing. But you knew that anyway, right?
