CFE Arena, Orlando - A crossroads battle for the vacant World Boxing Association Fedelatin cruiserweight title, and for an alternate position in the World Boxing Super Series, saw Mike Perez (24-3-1, 15 KOs) win a ten round unanimous decision over Keith Tapia (18-2, 11 KOs). The scores were 97-92, 96-93, 96-93.
Tapia has not been very active, with a loss to Andrew Tabiti in his only fight of 2016, and then a unanimous decision win over Lateef Kayode in 2017 - also in his only fight of that year. The bout against Perez was his only bout of the year.
Perez lost a twelve round decision to then WBC champion Mairis Briedis in September 2017, in the first season of the World Boxing Super Series tournament. He bounced back with a first round TKO win over Pablo Magrini in February.
The action was tense in the first round. Perez lost a point in the first round for hitting behind the head.
The contest was competitive, with both having their moments. But it was Perez who took control in the second half of the bout, with the better workrate, better combinations and more defense.
Tapia tried to rally in the tenth and final round, but Perez held him off.
In a battle of bantamweights, Stephon Young (18-1-3, 7 KOs) won a ten round unanimous decision over Wilner Soto (21-5, 12 KOs).
The scores were 99-90, 99-90 and 97-92.
Soto was dropped in round one and Young was controlling much of the first half. Soto began to rally in the second half of the contest and really made it close, by being very aggressive and taking the fight to Young.
Young suffered a cut around his left eye in the ninth round, from a small clash of heads.
Young was coming off his first career defeat, which came in March when he was dropped and lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Reymart Gaballo in a bout for the WBA interim-bantamweight title.