Abraham Perez claims WBA interim flyweight title with split decision win

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Abraham Perez won a close decision over Jonathan Gonzalez to win the interim WBA flyweight title this evening in Grand Rapids, Mich., in a Salita Promotions main event. Perez (15-0, 7 KO) won on split decision scores, with two cards going his way, both at 115-113, and Gonzalez winning the third card, also 115-113. Both fighters, as you’d expect with those scores, felt they deserved the decision. “I stayed busy and had the better angles on my shots,” Perez said. “I took opportunities when I had them and stayed mobile, tried to stay unpredictable. I still don’t feel like that was my best. I need to stay sharp with my punches. It’s been a rough journey, but it didn’t end.” “I won the fight, I landed the better shots,” Gonzalez said. “He throws a lot of punches, but I thought I landed the better shots. I’m disappointed and surprised, but it’s part of the sport.” The 35-year-old “Bomba” Gonzalez drops to 29-5-1 (14 KO) and you’d think he’s getting to be on his last legs, but he was still competitive here and that’s been thought before, too, with the Puerto Rican southpaw coming back to stay in the mix. He’d just injected new life into his career with a January win over Yankiel Rivera, following a loss to Anthony Olascuaga in 2024. Perez says he would be ready to take a fight with full WBA titlist Ricardo Sandoval if it were offered next, and that he’s willing to wait for that shot, which he may have to do. Sandoval was meant to face Galal Yafai this month, but Yafai withdrew due to injury. No make-up date for that has been announced, nor if there will even be one. Sandoval (27-2, 18 KO) also holds the WBC title, winning both from Kenshiro Teraji in July 2025. On the undercard in Grand Rapids, lightweight hopeful Joshua Pagan went to 16-0 (5 KO) with a clear decision victory over Rodolfo Bustamante (23-2-1, 13 KO). Judges scored that one 98-92, 99-91, and 100-90 for Pagan. Middleweight Troy Isley also stayed unbeaten, going to 16-0 (6 KO) with a fifth round stoppage of Leonardo Di Stefano (17-8, 14 KO). The fight was Isley’s first since parting ways with Top Rank, and the ex-Olympian’s first pro fight not under the Top Rank banner, period.

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Intuitive + unpredictable = WBA interim flyweight champion. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Albuquerque’s Abraham Perez, facing down the toughest opponent of his career on Sunday in front of an international audience on DAZN, defeated former world champion Jonathan Gonzalez by split decision. After 12 physical yet tactical rounds, one judge scored the bout for Gonzalez 115-113. Two judges, however, ...