Celebration for Yonnhy Perez

Colombian boxer is honored at weekend fiesta

No one said stepping into the boxing ring is easy. After weeks of discipline and sacrifice while in training camp, a fighter has to be ready to face anything and everything. Now imagine traveling almost 30 hours from Southern California to a foreign country–and fighting in your opponent’s homeland of Johannesburg, South Africa

Yonnhy “El Colombiano” Perez did just that in his IBF elimination bout against hometown hero Silence “African Spice” Mabuza that took place at the end of May. What makes the story even more compelling is that young bantamweight Perez was the victor in the twelfth and final round of the bout.

Behind on all scorecards, the unbeaten Perez (19-0, 14 KOs) scored with a jolting left jab that knocked down Mabuza. The visiting foe then finished him off with the referee stopping the contest, leaving a stunned arena in awe of Yonnhy’s win.

Now that Team Perez is back on home soil, a huge celebration was planned in honor of their contender’s big victory. As the new mandatory IBF championship challenger, Perez is next looking to take on the winner of the July 11 Vic Darchinyan vs. Joseph Agbeko match.

But first, a proper celebration was planned which took place this past weekend in Santa Fe Springs, where the Colombian lives and trains. Perez’s family and two sons, Yonnhy Jr. and Mateo still live in Colombia.

The entire fight was broadcast on a large screen in the city’s Town Center Hall with Perez, trainer Danny Zamora, co-promoter Ken Thompson, Council member Joe Serrano, and sparring partner Walter Sarnoi all in attendance. The celebratory event, sponsored by the City of Santa Fe Springs and Thompson Boxing Promotions, also doubled as a fundraiser with all proceeds donated to Little Lake City School District’s music program. Trainer Zamora’s mother, Hilda, is the Vice President of the Board of Education of the recipient school. The function featured the Perez-Mabuza fight (not televised in the U.S.), a taco buffet and autograph session with Yonnhy, who is co-promoted by Ken Thompson and Gary Shaw.

Also joining the party where rising stars Shawn Estrada and Danny Hernandez. 2008 Olympian Estrada will be fighting next month and is looking to keep his perfect record intact.

Perez spent Sunday afternoon soaking in the crowd’s excitement of his come-from-behind win. He took the podium to thank the friends and fans in the audience. The boxer also encouraged everyone to donate to the school charity, and his requests were answered with almost $1,100 raised from the day.

“We had a lot of hope, but we didn’t know what would happen. Blow by blow, round by round, it was a great fight,” said Thompson Boxing’s matchmaker Alex Camponovo, who traveled to the African nation with the camp. “Yonnhy’s ready to be a world champion. He can beat anyone!”

In the exciting battle, going into the eleventh round, Perez was down by two points. Trainer Zamora told the attendees that the corner prayed for Yonnhy’s comeback. “The hard work, dedication and sacrifice he goes through paid off,” he summed up.

Fighter Walter Sarnoi, stablemate and sparring partner of Perez, spoke of the action on foreign turf, “It was a great fight, a war that went back and forth. Yonnhy stuck to his game plan, and his game plan worked out better than Mabuza’s.”

After viewing the twelve rounds on the big screen, Sarnoi (3-0) explains, “It was different watching it again, a different experience than being there live. Going into the last round, we knew he was behind on the scorecards. Then the shot in the last round, my jaw dropped. When Yonnhy won, we all jumped into the ring.” Walter himself is now training with Zamora for an August bout at Thompson Boxing’s Omega International venue.

Promoter Thompson introduced Perez saying, Ken, “Yonnhy weighs 118 pounds–but 100 pounds of that is heart! He proved himself as a great fighter. The question of where, when and who he’ll fight is answered by anywhere, right now and anyone!”

The Southland promoter’s stable of fighters also includes Timothy Bradley, Josesito Lopez, Dominic Salcido, Mauricio Herrera, Abraham Lopez among others. Thompson’s newest signed fighter is Danny “El Travieso” Hernandez (6-0, 4 KOs), a highly-decorated amateur. The lightweight will be fighting on Thompson Boxing’s July 17 show and was introduced to the audience.

World Boxing Council’s Dr. Joe Noriega was also in attendance, along with Jeanette, Art and Adam from Team Thompson.

Congratulations again to the Yonnhy Perez Team for an outstanding victory!

Photos by Michele Chong: Yonnhy Perez, Danny Zamora, Ken Thompson, Alex Camponovo, Shawn Estrada, Walter Sarnoi, Danny Hernandez and Joe Serrano