Eloy Pérez

{{Infobox boxer|name= Eloy Pérez

|image=

|realname = Eloy Pérez

|nickname = El Principe

|weight = Super featherweight

|height = 5 ft 6 in (167 cm)

|reach = 70 in (180 cm)

|birth_date = {{birth date|1986|10|25}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|2019|10|5|1986|10|25}}

|birth_place = Oaxaca, Mexico

|style = Orthodox

|total = 27

|wins = 23

|KO = 7

|losses = 1

|draws = 2

|no contests = 1

}}

Eloy Pérez (October 25, 1986 – October 5, 2019) was a Mexican professional boxer who was raised in Thurston County, Washington.{{cite news |last1=Overman |first1=Tony |title=Thurston County will bid Eloy Perez farewell in public memorial on Saturday |url=https://www.theolympian.com/sports/article236585508.html |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=The Olympian |date=25 October 2019}} He was signed to Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions in the featherweight division.{{cite web |url=http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/fighters/elroy-perez/ |title=Eloy Perez |website=www.goldenboypromotions.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918144310/http://www.goldenboypromotions.com/fighters/elroy-perez/ |archive-date=2010-09-18}}{{Cite web|url=https://fightnews.com/former-jr-lightweight-contender-eloy-perez-passes/57855|title = Boxing News: Former Jr. Lightweight contender Eloy Perez passes » September 12, 2021|date = 14 October 2019}} He won the WBO NABO super featherweight title. He died unexpectedly on October 5, 2019, from a gunshot wound in Tijuana, Mexico, where he had been living since 2016.

Early years & amateur career

Raised in Rochester, Washington, Pérez began boxing at the age of 13.{{cite web |last1=Lang |first1=Arne K. |title=The Life and Mysterious Death of World Title Challenger Eloy Perez |url=https://tss.ib.tv/boxing/featured-boxing-articles-boxing-news-videos-rankings-and-results/60911-the-life-and-mysterious-death-of-world-title-challenger-eloy-perez |website=International Brotherhood of Prizefighters |access-date=11 September 2022 |date=18 October 2019}} Starting in 1999, he went on to have a 55-11 record, with his final amateur match, in which the 17-year-old defeated 22-year-old Canadian Arash Usmanee, earning him the 132-pound Ringside World Championship.{{cite news |last1=Overman |first1=Tony |title=Survivor, contender - Rochester boxer: Eloy Perez unbeaten as a pro – but getting there wasn't easy |work=The Olympian |date=15 January 2012}} He won the Golden Gloves championship in 2004 as well.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Dennis |title=Watsonville"s wonder girl set for return to ring |url=https://www.montereyherald.com/2006/12/13/watsonvilles-wonder-girl-set-for-return-to-ring/ |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=Monterey Herald |date=13 December 2006}}

Professional career

While still attending high school in Rainier, Washington after moving there with his family, Pérez began boxing professionally under the management of Jim Douglas.{{cite news |last1=Overman |first1=Tony |title=Remembering Eloy Perez |url=https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article236216163.html |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=The Olympian |date=October 14, 2019}} He often fought in matches at the local Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester; his first six-round bout took place the same weekend that he graduated high school.{{cite news |last1=George |first1=Nick |title=Perez balances graduating and fight |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/perez-balances-graduating-and-fight,221196 |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=The Chronicle |date=9 June 2006}}

Pérez began fighting out of Salinas, California, with the Garcia Boxing camp.{{cite news |last1=Fischer |first1=Doug |title='Team Mom' Kathy Garcia guides her fighters to stardom |url=https://www.ringtv.com/181607-team-mom-kathy-garcia-guides-her-fighters-to-stardom/ |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=The Ring}} For the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley card, he was the main sparring partner of Shane Mosley.{{cite web|last=Burton |first=Ryan |url=http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=26370|title=Eloy Perez Goes Golden Boy, Sparring With Shane Mosley|publisher=Boxing News |date=26 March 2010}} On September 12, 2009, Pérez won the WBO NABO super featherweight title by unanimous decision, beating the previously undefeated Dannie Williams in the tenth round at a match at the Playboy Mansion.{{cite web |title=NABO Super Featherweight Champ Eloy Perez Fights Oct. 28 Live on Telefutura |url=https://wboboxing.com/boxing-news/nabo-news/2-nabo-super-featherweight-champ-eloy-perez-fights-oct-28-live-on-telefutura/ |website=World Boxing Organization |access-date=11 September 2022 |date=19 October 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Rosenbaum II |first1=Cary |title='The Prince' Aiming for Boxing Royalty |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/the-prince-aiming-for-boxing-royalty,186029 |access-date=11 September 2022 |work=The Chronicle}} In 2010, Pérez signed a five-year promotional deal with Golden Boy Promotions. In May 2010, Eloy beat contender Gilberto Sanchez-Leon by a ten round majority decision.{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Dennis |url=http://www.montereyherald.com/localsports/ci_15002352?nclick_check=1 |title=Salinas' Perez wins majority decision over Leon |work=Monterey Herald |access-date=2010-05-04 |archive-date=2012-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224012238/http://www.montereyherald.com/localsports/ci_15002352?nclick_check=1 |url-status=dead }}

In 2012, Pérez was set to compete against Adrien Broner as a challenger for the WBO world super featherweight title.{{cite web |last1=Morilla |first1=Diego |title=Eloy Perez: 'It's not going 12 rounds' |url=https://wboboxing.com/boxing-news/eloy-perez-its-not-going-12-rounds/ |website=World Boxing Organization |access-date=11 September 2022 |date=22 February 2012}} As both were talented, undefeated boxers, there was speculation as to how the match would turn out, with William Holmes describing Pérez's history:{{cite web |last1=Holmes |first1=William |title=HBO Boxing Preview: Maidana vs. Alexander, Broner vs. Perez |url=https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/hbo-boxing-preview-maidana-vs-alexander-broner-vs-perez/ |website=Boxing Insider |access-date=11 September 2022 |date=22 February 2012}}

"Eloy Perez, a California native, has yet to fight any fighters with a recognizable name. However, the record of his last five opponents comes out to 101-15-1. While Perez has yet to fight someone that the average boxing fan would have heard of, he has consistently fought competition with winning records, and Saturday may be his chance to shine. Perez has two draws on his record, but they came in 2007 and 2006 in short eight round affairs. Power is something Perez does not appear to have. Of his 23 victories, only 7 have come by KO or TKO, but he was able to finish his opponent in his last two victories."

On February 25, 2012, Pérez was knocked out in the fourth round by Broner. After the fight, Pérez tested positive for cocaine.{{cite web|last=Rafael |first=Dan |url=https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/7694049/junior-lightweight-eloy-perez-tests-positive-cocaine-adrien-broner-fight |title=Promoter: Eloy Perez fails drug test |work=ESPN.com |date=2012-03-15 |access-date=2012-04-23}} It was ultimately his final fight, as he never boxed professionally again.

Death

After his professional career had been suspended, arrests for driving under the influence led to his lengthy detainment at the Northwest Detention Center. Unsure of when he would otherwise be released, in 2016, Pérez, an undocumented immigrant, agreed to be deported to Mexico, a place he had left as a young child. After three years in Tijuana building a new life for himself, he was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head on October 5, 2019. His sister traveled to Mexico to recover his body and have it cremated; after the local community expressed their grief, she brought his ashes back to Washington, where the community he grew up in celebrated his life in a memorial service at his alma mater Rainier High School.

Professional boxing record

{{BoxingRecordSummary

|draws=2

|nc=1

|ko-wins=7

|ko-losses=1

|dec-wins=16

|dec-losses=

|dq-wins=

|dq-losses=

}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
{{abbr\|No.\|Number}} !Result !Record !Opponent !Type !Round, time !Date !Location !Notes
27 \|{{no2}}Loss \|23–1–2 {{small\|(1)}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} Adrien Broner \|KO \|4 (12), {{small\|2:44}} \|Feb 25, 2012 \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} {{small\|Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.}} \|style="text-align:left;"\|{{small\|For WBO super featherweight title}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"

!Result

!Record

!Opponent

!Type

!Round, time

!Date

!Location

!Notes

|{{no2}}Loss

|23–1–2 {{small|(1)}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} Adrien Broner

|KO

|4 (12), {{small|2:44}}

|Feb 25, 2012

|style="text-align:left;"|{{flagicon|USA}} {{small|Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.}}

|style="text-align:left;"|{{small|For WBO super featherweight title}}

References

External links

{{boxrec|id=317310}}
[https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article236216163.html "Remembering Eloy Perez," a video tribute with footage of him from a 2006 interview]
[https://www.theolympian.com/sports/article236512113.html "Bringing Eloy Home," footage from his memorial service in Tijuana]

Category:American boxers of Mexican descent

Category:Boxers from California

Category:Super-featherweight boxers

Category:Place of death missing

Category:Doping cases in boxing

Category:1986 births

Category:American male boxers

Category:2019 deaths