Deandre Ware returned home and to the win column.

The full-time firefighter and still hopeful super middleweight contender outpointed Decarlo Perez in front of a partisan crowd Saturday evening from Huntington Center in Ware’s hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Scores of 58-56, 59-55 and 59-55 all landed for Ware in their ESPN+ streamed six-round preliminary bout.

The visiting Perez—a 32-year-old from South New Jersey—found early success, including a left hook to the body. Ware took the shot well and eventually settled into a comfortable counterpuncher role in his first fight since a second-round knockout to rising contender Christian Mbilli last September. His ability to offset his opponent’s aggression allowed Ware to the lead as the rounds progressed.

Ware was urged by his corner to pick up the pace after two rounds of relatively competitive action. The 35-year-old local favorite honored those wishes and dialed up his punch output. Ware found a home for his left hook which landed with regularity. Perez withstood the power shots and stormed back to force two-way exchanges in round four.

Perez stood directly in front of Ware, who worked his jab and later rocked his foe with a series of left hooks in the sixth and final round. Ware was responsible in his attack and recognized that Perez wasn’t going anywhere. Both fighters continued to look at the clock as they fended off fatigue and each other. Ware unloaded with left hooks in the closing seconds of the fight and even embraced Perez who landed a shot after the bell.

Ware—who famously resuscitated Top Rank coordinator Pete Susens shortly after the weigh-in of a September 2020 ESPN appearance—advanced to 16-4-2 (KOs) with the win and is now a perfect 6-0 in Toledo. Perez fell to 19-9-1 (6KOs) with his third straight defeat.

Headlining the main show, local hero and rising heavyweight contender Jared Anderson (14-0, 14KOs) meets former IBF heavyweight titlist Charles Martin (29-3-1, 26KOs) in a scheduled ten-round contest.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox