Abraham “Hammer” Perez claimed the interim WBA flyweight title on Sunday night, June 14, 2026, after defeating Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez via split decision. The 12-round main event took place at GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as part of a card presented by Salita Promotions and Claressa Shields Promotions.
Perez, 27, entered the bout as a +134 underdog but managed to remain undefeated, improving his professional record to 15-0 with 7 KOs.
The judges’ scorecards reflected a competitive encounter at 112 pounds, with two officials scoring the bout 115-113 in favor of Perez and the third seeing it 115-113 for Gonzalez. Gonzalez, a 35-year-old southpaw and former WBO light flyweight champion, saw his record move to 29-5-1 after the loss. Referee Chris Young oversaw the contest, which was broadcast globally on DAZN.
Gonzalez found success early in the fight, taking the opening round against the orthodox Perez. However, the younger man responded in the second and began to take control during the middle rounds. Perez outlanded Gonzalez from the fourth through the sixth frames, using his hand speed to establish momentum.
Despite the narrow margins on the scorecards, the victory represents a major milestone for Perez, who now holds the interim version of the WBA crown.
Abraham Perez displays hand speed to edge split decision
The tactical battle saw Gonzalez land a right hook to the body in the seventh round, but Perez answered with combinations of his own to secure the round. By the eighth frame, swelling became visible beneath the right eye of Gonzalez as Perez continued to find the target.
This physical toll persisted through the tenth, with Perez’s activity levels making the difference against his veteran opponent.
Heading into the final stretch, Perez maintained his work rate to outland Gonzalez once more in the eleventh round. The twelfth and final round proved to be the most competitive of the fight, though Perez appeared to do enough to finish the contest strongly.
The result leaves the flyweight division with a new top-tier presence while Shakur Stevenson dismisses immediate Devin Haney fight talks elsewhere in the sport, keeping the focus on fresh matchups.
This interim title win puts Perez in a strong position within the WBA rankings. While the veteran Gonzalez showed flashes of the skill that made him a world champion in a lower weight class, he was ultimately unable to overcome the volume and speed of his 27-year-old rival over the full 36 minutes of action.
Joshua Pagan maintains undefeated record in co-main event
In the evening’s co-main event, WBO No. 8-ranked lightweight Joshua “Double J” Pagan improved to 16-0 (5 KOs) with a unanimous decision victory over Rodolfo Bustamante Salazar. Pagan controlled the pace over 10 rounds at the Grand Rapids venue. The judges scored the fight 99-91, 100-90, and 98-92 in favor of the undefeated 135-pounder. Referee Ben Rodriguez handled the officiating for this bout.
Pagan established his dominance early with superior activity in the first two rounds. In the third, he landed several unanswered punches before Bustamante Salazar responded with a late right hand. Pagan significantly hurt his opponent in the closing minute of the fourth round and continued the offensive burst through the fifth.
By the eighth round, Bustamante Salazar was dealing with a cut over his left eyebrow.
Bustamante Salazar, whose record dropped to 22-2-1, enjoyed his best success in the ninth round as Pagan took a more defensive stance. But the favorite closed the tenth round strongly to secure the wide decision. Such performances help keep the division moving forward, much like how Jack Catterall calls out Rolando Romero to defend his own title in his respective weight class.
Troy Isley and Bryant Jennings secure undercard victories
The undercard featured several established names and rising prospects. Troy “Transformer” Isley improved his record to 15-0 (5 KOs) by stopping Leonardo Di Stefano in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round middleweight contest. The victory earned Isley the WBA Continental USA middleweight title. Di Stefano, a veteran with a high knockout ratio, saw his record fall to 17-7.
Heavyweight veteran Bryant “By-By” Jennings also returned to the ring, defeating Robert Simms by decision in an eight-round bout. Jennings, 26-4 (15 KOs), used his experience to navigate the contest against Simms, who dropped to 12-6-1. The heavyweight landscape remains a point of high interest for fans, particularly as Usyk raises brain health concerns following other high-impact heavyweight slugfests recently.
Other results from the Detroit-area card included:
- Jaquan McElroy def. Damian Munoz (UD 6) – McElroy moves to 6-0
- Caleb Tirado def. Osmar Rodriguez (UD 6) – Tirado moves to 2-0
- Shannel Butler def. Mayerlin Rivas (Decision 8) – Butler moves to 7-0
Jaquan McElroy displayed a variety of skills to defeat Damian Munoz with three scores of 60-54, utilizing uppercuts to draw blood from Munoz’s nose in the fifth. Meanwhile, bantamweight Caleb Tirado utilized footwork and a southpaw stance transition to outpoint Osmar Rodriguez. The event also listed heavyweight Sardius Simmons (7-0, 3 KOs) against Walter Burns on the official card.
