Perozzi and Reis ready to rumble at Berkeley
By Stephen Wright
Former champion boxer Yvonne Reis reckons Teresa Perozzi and her will “kick each other’s butts” in tonight’s fight before mulling over the contest with a stiff drink.
The 42-year-old legal secretary goes toe-to-toe with Bermuda’s own North American Boxing Council world champion (NABC) after accepting the fight at the eleventh hour.
Perozzi, who has a high-profile title fight in Sweden later this year, had been scheduled to fight lowly-ranked American slugger Cimberley Harris.
But she mysteriously pulled out of the deal forcing Perozzi’s New York-based matchmaker to approach tricky southpaw Reis who was not in need of a second invitation.
“I got a late call asking me to fight and I had no hesitation to agreeing,” she said.
“It’s very hard to get fights as a woman boxer so you have to make sure you’re in good condition all year round.
“It’s common for women boxers to take last minute fights so you have to be mentally and physically prepared.
“I think it’s an evenly-matched fight. I’ll try and out box her and the best woman will win ... hopefully that will be me.”
The intriguing encounter marks Reis’ first visit to Bermuda and she has already fallen in love with the country and vowed to return regardless of the fight’s outcome.
“Bermuda is an absolutely beautiful country — I’d never been here before. My goal is to make sure I win so they’ll have me back — I’d definitely like to return.
“I went for a walk around the Island yesterday morning and was stunned by the beautiful architecture — it’s truly an amazing place.”
Reis, who hails from Marlborough, Massachusetts, was a full-contact martial artist before going into boxing full-time — first as an amateur (with a record of 14 wins and three defeats) and then a pro since 2002.
In March she lost a ten-round bout to Trinidad’s Giselle Salandy, and will be striving to get career back on track against fellow southpaw Perozzi.
It is believed Perozzi has been training furiously both at Police Gym and Forty Rego’s self-built facility in Warwick for the last couple of months and suggested yesterday that she has never felt better physically.
“I fought Salandy in her own backyard and probably didn’t do enough to convince the judges I deserved the victory,” said Reis.
“I imagine it will be the same story in Bermuda as Teresa will be fighting in front of her home crowd and I will have to put on a show to secure victory.”
Reis had her WBC middleweight title stripped from her, as she couldn’t provide a mandatory defence in the sixth-month time period with no promoter willing to pay her sanction fee.
“There’s not a woman boxer in the world who doesn’t have a similar story to me and it’s difficult to arrange fights,” she added.
“Boxing is my love but it’s very much a pastime because like all female boxers I need other jobs to support me.
“We’re a little group who stick together and despite kicking each other’s butt in the ring we always tend to go for a few drinks afterwards — tonight will be no different.
The fight is to be staged at Berkley’s School Gymnasium at 8 p.m..
Tonight’s fight will be refereed by Bermuda’s former Olympic bronze medallist Clarence Hill - his first assignment as a ref.
