In the interim... Perez gets major opportunity

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Saturday: Katherine Lindenmuth vs. Linn Sandstrom, Brondby, Denmark. Streaming: DAZN, 11:05 a.m. MT

June 14: Abraham Perez vs. Jonathan González, Grand Rapids, Mich. Streaming: DAZN (time TBA)

Albuquerque boxer Abraham Perez, denied a world title shot, is getting the next-best thing: an interim world title shot.

Aaron Perez, his son’s trainer and local promoter, announced on Tuesday that the younger Perez will challenge Puerto Rican southpaw Jonathan González for the WBA interim flyweight (112-pound) title on June 14 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The fight is scheduled to be the main event of a Salita Promotions card and is to be streamed on DAZN.

Perez (14-0, seven knockouts) had signed to challenge Los Angeles’ Anthony Olascuaga for the WBO world flyweight title, but Olascuaga’s management would not accept Perez as an opponent — choosing to defend against Andy Dominguez on July 11 in San Francisco.

So, instead, it’s Perez-Gonzalez in Grand Rapids.

González (29–4-1, 14 KOs), 35, undoubtedly qualifies as the most accomplished opponent Perez will have faced. González, a former light flyweight (108-pound) world champion, won the WBA interim flyweight title on Jan. 3 with a victory by unanimous decision over Yankiel Rivera in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In his previous fight, González was TKO’d in the first round by Olascuaga in a bid for the WBO world title.

If Perez defeats González, that might or might not earn the Albuquerque fighter a shot at the WBA world title held by Californian Ricardo Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs).

In boxing, “interim” can mean anything a particular sanctioning body wants it to mean.

As an example, New Mexican Brian Mendoza’s sensational knockout of Sebastian Fundora in March 2023 earned Mendoza the WBC interim welterweight title — but did not produce a WBC world title shot against then-champion Jermell Charlo.

The victory over Fundora did, though, lead to a WBO world title shot for Mendoza against then-champion Tim Tszyu — which Mendoza lost by by unanimous decision.

For Perez, 27, time is not of the essence in his quest for a world title. But he did, in essence, lose a year out of his career after nearly drowning while doing breathing-control exercises in his family’s pool in July 2024.

The incident cost him a spot on the Aug. 10, 2024, Top Rank-promoted Angelo Leo-Luis Alberto Lopez card at Tingley Coliseum. The winner of that night’s scheduled bout between Perez and fellow Albuquerquean Matt Griego-Ortega likely would have benefited significantly from the exposure.

Sandoval, the WBA champion, has a defense scheduled against Galal Yafar on June 6 in Sheffield, England.

The winner would likely be looking to defend the title late in 2026.

Perez — again, should he defeat González — would be a logical candidate.