The Boxcino tournament is back, and this Friday at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut, ESPN 2 will feature the Junior Middleweight portion of the tournament. In the opening round, former Boxcino finalist Brandon Adams (15-1 10 KO’s) will face welterweight contender Alex Perez (18-1 10 KO’s). Adams, 25, is the youngest competitor in this year’s Boxcino event, but he is also the most experienced in tournament having made it to the finals of last year’s competition. While Adams came up short against Willie Monroe Jr, he returned last month and scored a TKO2 win. Alex Perez, 32, is the oldest participant, and while he lost a high profile match against Antonin Declaire in September 2012, he has rebounded with two straight victories.
I had a chance to speak to both Brandon Adams and Alex Perez in this special “On The Ropes” interview, to get their views on the tournament and facing each other. I also discuss with them their strategy and what they think this competition will do for their respective careers. Additionally, Brandon and Alex share their thoughts on Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and speak directly to each other as to what they can expect this Friday night. Here is what Brandon Adams and Alex Perez had to say.
Jenna J: First question I have is for the both of you. What are your thoughts on the junior middleweight Boxcino tournament that you will be competing in?
Alex Perez: I just think that it’s a blessing to me. It was a welterweight tournament but I came back and it was junior middleweight. I’m just gonna take it as a blessing and walk down the path of whatever guys they put in front of me.
Brandon Adams: I’m happy to be given a second opportunity to be fighting in this tournament, this prestigious tournament.
Jenna J: Alex, you said this was first going to be a welterweight tournament and now you’re up in weight. What are your thoughts on facing guys that are naturally bigger in terms of size?
Alex Perez: I have no problem. I never go into any of my fights sparring with anybody my size. It should be no problem.
Jenna J: Brandon, you’re dropping down in weight, how do you feel about doing that?
Brandon Adams: I feel good, that’s where I used to fight at, so I feel comfortable being there more so than at 160lbs. Like I said before, we jumped up to the opportunity to fight in the first Boxcino tournament, this time I’m coming back down, I feel good. We’re excited to fight back at 154lbs, we’re just happy.
Jenna J: I want to ask you both about dealing with your first defeat. A few fights back you lost your first professional bout, what was it like dealing with that first loss?
Brandon Adams: Of course it hurt, but I didn’t look back upon it too hard because I didn’t let myself. My trainer, my camp, they didn’t allow me to let it put out the fire. That’s why I was able to jump back in there and keep positive and keep doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
Alex Perez: To be honest, my first defeat was one of the worst days of my life. I was dealing with a whole bunch of things; it was a bad choice at the end of the day. I was ill, it wasn’t me, I should have pulled out but I was on a big stage. It was a big mistake but we regrouped and we’re back.
Jenna J: Alex, you said it was one of your worst days, what have you changed since then?
Alex Perez: I just make better decisions. I take that day as it wasn’t my time. It just made me stronger, I didn’t have to really change nothing because there was nothing there to change. That day just wasn’t me, I was dehydrated, I was ill. I’m here now, it’s gonna be better times from here on.
Jenna J: Brandon, do you think you have an advantage going into this fight and this tournament, being the fact that you participated in a tournament like this before?
Brandon Adams: Yes and no. Yeah because I know the tournament format but not necessarily because I know every combatant that’s in this tournament is gonna come fight their hardest, that’s what I did last year. A lot of us were unknown, a lot of us were trying to get our name out there. I’m anticipating all the fighters to come out there and try to put their best performance on.
Jenna J: Alex, this is the first round of the tournament and they’re six round fights. How do you feel about having to go out there and not be able to give any rounds away?
Alex Perez: I’m going into this fight and I just gotta win round by round. I’m a ten to eight round fighter, I usually go there and try to break my opponents down. I don’t have problems with that, I gotta win round by round.
Jenna J: What do you think this tournament is gonna do for your career?
Brandon Adams: To be honest, I know good, but I don’t know how big it can actually be for me. I know the sky is the limit but I’m excited to see. That’s why we entered this tournament again because we believe it’s gonna be life changing. It was life changing for me to be in the first one — to make it as far as I did — but to actually grasp it this time, it will definitely be tremendous.
Alex Perez: I don’t really even pay attention to all of that. The only thing that I think about is Brandon Adams, and that’s this Friday. I don’t look that far out with the semi finals or the finals of the tournament, I’m just taking it as a fight which is this Friday. That’s all I think about, I don’t think about the tournament.
Jenna J: No one likes to leave their boxing career up to the judges, are either of you guys going to be looking for a knockout?
Brandon Adams: Honestly, I don’t care for knockouts, I just look for the win. Sometimes I come out there a little more aggressive than other times but really the gameplan is to win. That’s all I really focus on, just winning.
Alex Perez: I feel the exact same way, my focus is just to win. Whatever happens, happens. I came up in this game and nine times out of ten when I used to look for the knockout, I didn’t get it. I’d say about ninety five percent of the time that I do go in there with that determination, I don’t get it. My main thing is just going for the win, that’s about it. When I was a young guy coming up, I had that mentality but not anymore.
Jenna J: I want to turn things away from the tournament a little bit and talk about the boxing scene a little bit. The fight that everyone is waiting for, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, it seems like it’s gonna happen. Who would you pick to win and why?
Brandon Adams: I don’t really mind if the fight happens or not, I would rather just see a good fight. I’m not necessarily going for anybody. I just want to see a good fight at this point. It’s been so long, if they do fight, I just want to see a good fight.
Jenna J: If you had to give the edge to one guy, who would you give it to?
Brandon Adams: I’d say Floyd Mayweather.
Alex Perez: I like both of the fighters but if they do ever fight, I got Floyd Mayweather out boxing Pacquiao.
Jenna J: Back to your fight. Without giving too much away, what are you gonna be looking to do in the ring?
Brandon Adams: Establish our gameplan and listen to my corner. Sometimes I get out there and it’s very emotional when you’re in there fighting, I just want to stay poised and listen to my corner and do whatever it is that my trainers want me to do at that time.
Alex Perez: I already know I’m facing a young bull, so I’m just looking to win and just stay relaxed and used my experience. My whole thing is just winning, win by any means.
Jenna J: Is there anything you’d like to say to your opponent about what they can expect from you?
Brandon Rios: I respect him, I respect what he went through. I’m on the west coast and I’ve been through some of the stuff that he’s been through, as far as his upcoming and I’m looking forward to fighting him. I’m excited because I know he’s gonna come and he’s gonna be looking to put on his best performance and so am I. I just hope we please the crowd.
Alex Perez: God bless you and may the best man win on Friday.
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Watch Brandon Adams take on Alex Perez this Friday night as part of the upcoming edition of Friday Night Fights on ESPN 2
I have Adams winning the whole thing. Guy is young and talented and learning more and more . I think he will out point Perez on friday
Boxino is great, I love the 6 round format cuz it makes for better fights