Pascual Pérez (boxer)

Pascual Pérez in 1948

Pascual Pérez ( born March 4, 1926 in Rodeo Media, † January 22, 1977 in Buenos Aires ) was an Argentine flyweight boxer.

Amateur

Pérez won at the 1948 London Olympics gold medal in the flyweight.

Professional

In 1952 he turned professional and won against his first eighteen opponents by knockout. Because of this series, he is regarded as the hardest hitting flyweight after the Second World War. But he was also known for his footwork. Against the Japanese world champion Yoshiro Shirai he punched in July 1954 in Argentina draw, but won the rematch in Tokyo seven months later on points and thus became the first Argentine world champion in the history of professional boxing. The third duel with Shirai he won then even by knockout.

In January 1959, Pèrez lost his professional fight against the Japanese Yaoita. However, since it was not an official title fight, but he was world champion. Later in the same year he won the rematch by a knockout victory, but had previously even to the ground.

On April 16, 1960 he lost his title after nine title defenses finally to the Thais Pone Kingpetch. The direct rematch he even lost prematurely by technical knockout in the eighth round.

By 1963, he won another 28 times after another, but then lost in a short time four times and finished his career in 1964.

The " Ring Magazine " evaluates it as the third best flyweight Jimmy Wilde and behind Miguel Canto and before Carlos Monzón as best Argentine boxer of all time. In 1995, he was welcomed into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.