Brick City Boxing

By: Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (Aug 17, 2009)

Alex Perez is in his fifth year of boxing with only 10 fights. He claims “no one wants to fight me”. Bad enough he is 6:01 and 147#, but a southpaw on top of that. He had an outstanding amateur career with a 56-3 record fighting out of Newark, New Jersey.

What this writer hopes to do is stir up some interest to really find out just how good Perez is. I covered a fight of his at the Blue Horizon, in Philly. It was his 9th fight and he was fighting Darien Ford, 11-15, who had just fought to a No Contest with Mike “No Joke” Stewart, due to opening his forehead in the 3rd round of their fight. Prior to that Ford had wins over Ivan Robinson and former light welterweight champion Charles Murray. Perez had received a cut over an eye from a head butt and came back in the next round to receive another cut under an eye from a head butt. After the second one, he threw Ford to the canvas where he suffered a dislocated shoulder and couldn’t continue. The commission called it a No Contest. This was September of 2007.

After that he fought in December defeating Cory Peterson, 7-1, of Bay City, Michigan, at the Robert Treat Hotel, in Newark over 6 rounds. He had wins over Jonathan Tubbs and Patrick Byrd. “That was a tough fight. I hurt him but he kept coming,” said Perez.

It would be 15 months before he had his next fight. That was in March of this year defeating Laureano Laracuente, 5-1-1, over 10 rounds for the WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) welterweight title. He had to go all the way to San Sebastian, Puerto Rico for that fight. “I scored a knockdown in the 5th round. I wasn’t sure if I would need a knockout to win, he ran the whole fight,” said Perez. Scores were 97-92, 96-93 and 96-94 in his favor.

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In Danny Serratelli, Perez has had a friend, assistant trainer and lawyer who thinks of Alex as a younger brother. Serratelli is always around in the NJ courts, on the streets, in the jails helping those in need, as well as in the local gyms where he trains several young fighters, the “Brick City Boxing Team”. He was good enough to arrange this interview for me when we were in Newark for the Adamek-Gunn title bout. Perez was offered to Henry Crawford, 22-0-1, on that card but got turned down for another opponent. Alex’s only trainer has been Jose Rosario who also manages him.

Perez has been in camp with IBF and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in Puerto Rico and WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm in Germany. “I tried to get on their under cards but it didn’t work out. I was also in camp with Joel Julio,” said Perez.

After starting his career on December 9th in 2004 stopping Farrakhan Cuttino, 0-2, in the 1st round in Newark, he ran into something even he couldn’t dodge or stop. Two gun shots from a drive-by gang. “If it wasn’t for Him (God) I would be dead or in jail. I was in with the wrong people from ages 14 to 18,” said Perez. He added, “I had started boxing at the age of 8 until that time in my life.”

Perez spars with Archak “Shark Attack” Termelikstian and top amateur DeShaun Johnson to keep ready for “that call.” “I do it all for my son, Alex, Jr., who is 9,” he said. His favorite boxers were Alexis Arguello and Marvin Hagler. He also has a younger brother, Michael, 3-0-1 (2), 19, who I saw score a pair of 1st round knockouts in his first two fights. He has since signed with Golden Boy.

Upon recovering from the shooting Perez came back in June of 2005 and again in December scoring knockouts. “I had a chance to go to Santo Domingo and won a decision over Rafael Romero, 3-6-1, over 6 rounds,” said Perez. Two months later he was in Scheuntzen Park, North Bergen, New Jersey, scoring another knockout, in the 1st round.

Next, was a bout in Atlantic City scoring a 4th round knockout, over David Hernandez, 3-3-2. Then, back to Atlantic City defeating Troy Wilson, 6-4-1, over 4 rounds. It would be six months before scoring a 1st round knockout over Jesse Williams, 3-3-1, in Whippany, New Jersey. Then came the Blue Horizon, Newark and Puerto Rico bouts mentioned earlier. This brings his record to 10-0 (6) with the one No Contest.

For anyone reading this article, Perez is always in the gym, ready to fight. Perez is hungry and after some recent bad luck he is as hungry as ever. “I am willing to fight big fights. I am confident in my abilities and know I am a force to be reckoned with already in this division. Anyone who wants it can call my manager Jose Rosario or my lawyer Danny Serratelli.” Whether it’s Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico or Tim Buck Two, “Have Gloves Will Travel”!

Comments/disputes/questions?
e-mail Ken at: kenhissner@yahoo.com