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Perez out of Saturday’s card after frightening training mishap
Abraham Perez, right, shown here during his March 24 victory over Fernando Diaz at Expo New Mexico, is out of Saturday’s scheduled bout against fellow Albuquerquean Matt Griego-Ortega. Perez is in the hospital after passing out in his family’s swimming pool on Friday.
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A life-threatening training mishap suffered by Abraham Perez has derailed the much-anticipated “Duke City Civil War” between Perez and fellow Albuquerquean Matt Griego-Ortega on Saturday’s Top Rank, Inc., boxing card at Tingley Coliseum.
Far more important, his father said, his son appears to be on the road to recovery.
Aaron Perez, his son’s trainer and a co-promoter of Saturday’s card, said Abraham was swimming in the family’s backyard pool on Friday, tapering his training for the fight, when he blacked out.
“All of a sudden I see him not being responsive,” Aaron Perez said, “and my wife jumped in, pulled him out and started giving him CPR until the ambulance got there.
“It’s lucky we were there.”
Abraham Perez was taken to UNM Hospital, where he remained as of Monday morning.
“They saved his life,” Aaron Perez said regarding the care his son has received.
Abraham is conscious and breathing on his own, his father said. The elder Perez said his son had been energetic and in good spirits before Friday’s incident, but he believes Friday’s mishap was the product of overexertion.
Abraham had been in the pool for more than an hour, he said.
“He overworked himself, for sure,” Aaron Perez said.
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Griego-Ortega (14-0, 10 knockouts) and Perez (10-0, five KOs) were to have fought for the USBA flyweight title. Their showdown now will have to take place at another time. Top Rank, in announcing the cancellation, said it would seek another opponent for Griego-Ortega.
“I am praying for Abraham and hoping (for) him a speedy recovery,” Griego-Ortega posted on social media.. “Nothing but respect to him and his family,
“… I am really close to weight. Fingers crossed I will still fight.”
The Perez vs. Griego-Ortega matchup had energized the Albuquerque boxing community and drawn comparisons to the July 1997 showdown in Las Vegas, Nevada, between Duke City crosstown rivals Johnny Tapia and Danny Romero.
Those fans will not be without a rooting interest. Duke City native Angelo Leo (24-1, 11 KOs) is still scheduled to challenge Mexico’s Luis Alberto “Venado” Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) for the latter’s IBF featherweight world title in the card’s main event.
