Predicting a KO over Vic Darchinyan on April 23

Two things become crystal clear after attending Yonnhy Perez’s media workout Monday afternoon in the city of Santa Fe Springs, California.

The first thing is Team Perez unilaterally predicting a knockout when he goes head to head with Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on April 23.

The second thing is the former world champion’s renewed vigor and intense desire to own a title belt once again.

The Colombian-born Perez (20-1-1, 14 KOs) is the former IBF Bantamweight World Champion, after winning and later losing the title to ring nemesis Joseph Agbeko.

Now, as he faces southpaw and former world champ Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs) the camp says he’s ready–and focused on victory–in attaining the vacant International Boxing Organization (IBO) bantamweight title that is up for grabs come April 23.

But to earn another championship means getting past his tough foe in the Australian, by way of Armenia, Darchinyan. The two warriors will be the co-feature in the Abner Mares-Joseph Agbeko main event in the SHOWTIME Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All.

There’s a lot at stake for the boxer from Cartagena. Perez first won critical acclaim in 2009 after upsetting Johannesburg favorite Silence Mabuza in South Africa during their IBF title eliminator clash. Then after beating Agbeko in their all-out war in October 2009, he fought to a draw against Mares in May of last year. The hitch in the road was his December defeat in the rematch against “King Kong” Agbeko.

But the camp says that is all behind them now and they are solely focusing on the immediate future–and beating Darchinyan. And not just beating the “Raging Bull” but winning by a knockout. It should also be said that Team “Raging Bull” has also predicted a KO in their matchup with Yonnhy. Team Perez is undaunted and confident that a championship belt will once again be brought to Barrio Las Delicias, the neighborhood Perez grew up in.

Flanked by trainer Danny Zamora, co-promoter Ken Thompson of Thompson Boxing Promotions and manager Frank Espinoza, Team Perez showcased sharp mitt work with the bantamweight, some shadowboxing and a few minutes on the heavybag before the group sat down to answer questions from the large media corp in attendance.

Perez, always looking in lean fighting shape, wants to show everyone he’s back and intends to prove this in his collision with Darchinyan.

During a high-profile emotional moment airing on SHOWTIME before his Agbeko bout, Perez was shown to express how much he missed being with his family. This time, Perez and Zamora chose to hold the majority of their training camp in Yonnhy’s homeland, close to his wife and two young sons, Yonnhy Jr. and Mateo. Feeling comfortable, focused and strong, “El Colombiano” looks like he’s got his “swagger” back. Although Perez, known to be reserved, humble and the least flashiest boxer you will ever meet, isn’t really known to flaunt any swagger. But getting his swagger back on in the ring, he plans on letting his gloved hands unleash the torrent of emotion he must have felt after losing his last bout.

Saying he wants to “erase the past and look forward and keep everything positive,” Perez has a renewed attitude and new motivation in his quest for another world title in “Winner Takes All,” promoted by Don King Productions, Gary Shaw Productions, Golden Boy Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions.

His promoter, Thompson (who co-promotes Perez with Gary Shaw) spoke convincingly of his fighter effectively scoring a knockout against Darchinyan (who is also promoted by Gary Shaw). With posters heralding Yonnhy’s past fights hung on the gym walls behind them, the team appeared relaxed, confident, ready and waiting for battle at 118.

And in preparing for battle, Perez has sacrificed leaving his family once again to train and fight in the U.S.; this personal sacrifice is one that his longtime coach Zamora also recently experienced. Yonnhy trained in Colombia for six weeks, first with his former amateur coach, then with current trainer Zamora. While traveling to Yonnhy’s native country, Danny lived with the Perez family while training there, thus leaving behind his wife and his own two young sons as he and his champion charge trained and sparred in Colombia.

With the city temperatures sweltering, Zamora told me the athletes get an early start over there. The Santa Fe Springs trainer, who also coaches Librado Andrade and Shawn Estrada, said the level of sparring partners was great in Colombia but that the boxers there prefer sparring as early as 7:30 a.m.

Now back in Los Angeles for the last couple of weeks, Perez is once again fighting for his family and fighting for a championship, a place he’s been before.

“You’re looking at a man who’s recharged himself and brought himself back to where he should–a great champion. He’s gonna knockout Darchinyan. He’s got everything it takes to be a champion. We’re very proud of him and so is his country,” his promoter Thompson commented. Back in 2009, after Yonnhy’s big win over Mabuza, the City of Santa Fe Springs and Thompson Boxing Promotions held a special celebration in which they screened the South Africa fight for the guests while honoring the Colombian slugger.

Thompson wants to see Yonnhy reclaim what the team says he can rightfully earn. “The future is his to take and that’s what he’s going do. He’s going take it–and he’s going take it fast,” the well-regarded promoter said. “You’re not going to see this thing go to the judges. It’s going to be a knockout and it’s going to be a knockout early–and you can take that one to the bank!”

Will “El Colombiano” put the “Raging Bull” to sleep?

The entire team echoed this same sentiment. “He realizes the importance of this fight,” Perez’s manager Espinoza confirmed to me.

“Any prediction in which round the KO will be?” I ask the Hall of Fame manager.

“No prediction on the round,” he replies. “The KO will come on its own, but it will be a knockout!”

If the camp is correct, Perez will once again return to his beloved country with a brand new championship belt hung proudly across his shoulder.

When Yonnhy Perez returned to Colombia with his first world title belt in tow, the city of Barrio Las Delicias shut down and held a town celebration for their hometown hero, complete with a victory parade including a welcome from the Mayor and city dignitaries, a fire engine roaring through the streets, and a lengthy fiesta complete with music and food.

“So what’s going to happen when Yonnhy returns with the IBO bantam title?” I asked the team.

“When a dog dies, they have a celebration,” Yonnhy answered with a big grin, toward the end of the media session, of speaking about his spirited homeland. Breaking the serious game face he had been wearing, Perez added with a laugh, “Whatever happens with my fight, it WILL be a celebration when I get there! There’s always a party.”

“It’s true. I was there!” trainer Zamora chimed in, “There was music going on, there was always something.”

Come April 23, Team Perez plans on giving the Colombian locals something new to celebrate in their prediction of knocking out one Vic Darchinyan.

For tickets: (800) 745-3000

Photos by Michele Chong