After an unforgettable battle with Jose Hernandez in December last year and a technical knockout win over Marcos Herrera this past February, unbeaten Michael “The Artist” Perez is quickly becoming a fan favorite on the boxing rich island of Puerto Rico. On Friday, May 13, he returns to “La Isla Del Encanto” to battle Ira Terry in the main event of TeleFutura’s “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” at the Hilton Hotel & Casino in Ponce. The co-main event will feature another one of Puerto Rico’s top rising stars, Jonathan Vidal against Cecilio Santos.
A Newark, New Jersey native whos family hails from Lares, Puerto Rico, Michael “The Artist” Perez (12-0-1, 6 KO’s) is a former National Golden Gloves Champion who has even loftier goals to achieve in the coming years as he pursues his dream of a professional world championship. 2010 was a big year for Perez who went 5-0 and passed a major test last December when he decisioned Jose Hernandez in an action-packed battle that was dubbed “Fight of the Year” by “Sólo Boxeo Tecate” and the Puerto Rico Boxing Commission. The 21-year-old has since stopped Marcos Herrera, setting the stage for his return to Puerto Rico on May 13.
Tennessee’s Ira Terry (24-4, 14 KO’s) won’t be issuing any southern hospitality to Perez on May 13, as he seeks a return to the win column after hard-fought bouts against top prospects Carlos Velasquez and Joksan Hernandez. With the 24-year-old scoring knockouts in four of his last five wins, expect for him to bring everything he’s got upset Perez in Puerto Rico.
Unbeaten Guaynabo flyweight Jonathan Vidal (13-0, 8 KOs) is one of Puerto Rico’s top young prospects, and at 21-years-old, the sky is the limit for this talented boxer. He possesses impressive power as is evidenced by eight of his wins coming in two rounds or less. Showing his versatility, in recent wins over fellow prospects Felix Perez and Aneuris Matos, he has proven that he can box and go the distance as well. Vidal will face off against Mexico City’s Cecilio “Boga” Santos (25-18-3, 15 KO’s) in an eight round flyweight fight which is sure to be a tough battle in keeping with the traditionally competitive Mexico vs. Puerto Rico boxing rivalry. A professional since 1997, the experienced Santos has been in with some of boxing’s toughest fighters including Jorge “Travieso” Arce, Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno, Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel, Veeraphol Sahaprom to name a few and hopes to give the young Puerto Rican his first taste of defeat on Friday night.
Fans at home can also be part of the action by participating in Cinturón Tecate and voting for the fighter in the main event who displayed the most character in the ring by sending a text message to 55333. Voting will be open through the end of the weekend. Tickets, priced at $20.00 for general admission and $50.00 for ringside are available through Ticketcenter by calling (787)792-5000 or visiting www.tcpr.com
