NABO Jr Lightweight champion Eloy “The Prince” Perez who will be taking on WBO Super Featherweight champion Adrien Broner in St. Louis on February 25th on HBO is training hard and putting the finishing touches on his training camp. Perez chose to move the final phase of training to Oxnard, CA at Robert Garcia’s Boxing Academy which has become a boxing hotbed.
BoxingScene.com caught up with Perez and he explained the reason for the change in sites for his training.
“Just different work, a different look. Different atmosphere. I guess here its puro putasos (Spanish for hard hitting)” said Perez as he chuckled. “You know, here with Brandon [Rios], its good. It’s my last two weeks and everything is going as planned and I’m glad I’m here in Oxnard”.
Brandon Rios is also currently doing light training in anticipation for his next fight at the gym and it’s a wonder if Perez and Rios have sparred or done any work together.
“No, just been training side by side. But I’m going to come back after my fight and help him out for the Gamboa fight for like a month. Help my boy out” revealed Perez.
It’s no secret Adrien Broner possesses something that tends to give plenty of fighters trouble and that’s speed. Perez will have to deal with it on fight night but he feels he’s prepared to deal with whatever Broner brings to the ring.
“I’ll just be prepared and have my experience come in. I’ve fought and sparred a lot of fast guys. I’ve sparred Mike Dallas [Jr]. I’ve fought Dannie Williams. So I’ve worked with a lot of fast guys” explained Perez. “I’m prepared for whatever Adrien Broner is going to bring. Like I said, he is the champ so I got to respect him”
Adrien Broner has seemed extremely confident going into this fight. Recently he even took to Twitter to taunt Perez directly and promised to put on a show on February 25th. It almost appears as if Broner might be underestimating his opponent but Perez thinks it’s something else.
“I don’t think he’s underestimating me, I think he’s scared sh*tless. I haven’t tried to fight him back or talk sh*t back to him. We’ve come face to face a lot, I kept my mouth shut and looked him straight in his eyes and there was no eye contact. So I think he’s scared but he would never admit it. But February 25th when we’re both in the ring, there’s no fear, there’s no words, it’s time to play” said the undefeated Salinas native.
Perez and his team plan to leave for St. Louis a week before the fight to get acclimated. This will be Perez’s first world title fight and first time appearing on HBO.
by Luis Sandoval
You can follow Luis Sandoval on Twitter @Truewest007. You can also tune in to The Boxing Lab, Boxingscene’s official audio show every Tuesday from 6-8PM PST with hosts Ernest Gabion, Luis Sandoval, and Ryan Burton.
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