Tag: Harrison vs Perrella

Tony Harrison took a small step backward while Bryant Perrella probably moved ahead somewhat. Neither fighter left the ring satisfied on Saturday.

Harrison, the former junior middleweight titleholder, and Perrella fought to a split draw in a 12-round fight that was difficult to score at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

The wide disparity in the scoring was evidence of that. Judge Max DeLuca had Harrison winning 116-112, eight rounds to four. Lou Moret scored it for Perrella 117-111. And Zachary Young had it 114-114. Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Perrella.

Harrison (28-3-1, 21 KOs) hadn’t fought since December 2019, when he lost his title by knockout to Jermell Charlo. That was the last time Harrison had in his corner his father/trainer Ali Salaam, who died of COVID-19 a year ago.

And perhaps the layoff and absence of a familiar voice played a role in his performance, which was so-so at best. He threw a lot of jabs but relatively few power shots, only 14 per round, according to CompuBox.

Perrella was the busier fighter overall, outpunching Harrison 692-453 overall and 396-171 in power shots. That obviously impressed Moret. However, Perrella outlanded Harrison only 150-138 and Harrison might’ve landed the cleaner punches, which apparently swayed DeLuca.

Perrella probably had to two biggest rounds in the fight, Nos. 3 and 6, during which the underdog clearly outworked and outlanded Harrison. One could argue that the remainder of the rounds could’ve gone either way.

Thus, the result was anyone’s guess in the period between the final bell and the announcement of the result. The fighters, both of whom hoped to move up in the line for a shot at a major title, were expressionless when they heard the words “split draw.”

No one seemed to object to the result, at least not openly immediately after they learned their fate.

The fighters shared more than a draw after all was said and done: The both are now winless in consecutive fights. Harrison was coming off the setback against Charlo, Perrella from his last-second knockout loss to Abel Ramos in February of last year.

Well, at least they didn’t lose back-to-back fights.

Tony Harrison took a small step backward while Bryant Perrella probably moved ahead somewhat. Neither fighter left the ring satisfied on Saturday.

Harrison, the former junior middleweight titleholder, and Perrella fought to a split draw in a 12-round fight that was difficult to score at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

The wide disparity in the scoring was evidence of that. Judge Max DeLuca had Harrison winning 116-112, eight rounds to four. Lou Moret scored it for Perrella 117-111. And Zachary Young had it 114-114. Boxing Junkie scored it 115-113 for Perrella.

Harrison (28-3-1, 21 KOs) hadn’t fought since December 2019, when he lost his title by knockout to Jermell Charlo. That was the last time Harrison had in his corner his father/trainer Ali Salaam, who died of COVID-19 a year ago.

And perhaps the layoff and absence of a familiar voice played a role in his performance, which was so-so at best. He threw a lot of jabs but relatively few power shots, only 14 per round, according to CompuBox.

Perrella was the busier fighter overall, outpunching Harrison 692-453 overall and 396-171 in power shots. That obviously impressed Moret. However, Perrella outlanded Harrison only 150-138 and Harrison might’ve landed the cleaner punches, which apparently swayed DeLuca.

Perrella probably had to two biggest rounds in the fight, Nos. 3 and 6, during which the underdog clearly outworked and outlanded Harrison. One could argue that the remainder of the rounds could’ve gone either way.

Thus, the result was anyone’s guess in the period between the final bell and the announcement of the result. The fighters, both of whom hoped to move up in the line for a shot at a major title, were expressionless when they heard the words “split draw.”

No one seemed to object to the result, at least not openly immediately after they learned their fate.

The fighters shared more than a draw after all was said and done: The both are now winless in consecutive fights. Harrison was coming off the setback against Charlo, Perrella from his last-second knockout loss to Abel Ramos in February of last year.

Well, at least they didn’t lose back-to-back fights.

Tony Harrison will be fighting on Saturday without someone who has been his corner from day one: his father.

Ali Salaam, who has trained the junior middleweight contender for almost his entire career, died of complications related to COVID-19 in April of last year. LJ Harrison, his brother, has taken over the training duties.

Of course, the loss of his dad and mentor was difficult for Tony Harrison. However, he feels emotional fit entering his fight with Bryant Perrella at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles (Fox).

“I wouldn’t [fight] if I wasn’t ready,” said Harrison, who is coming off an 11^th-round knockout loss to Jermell Charlo that cost him the title he won by outpointing Charlo a year earlier. “He taught me how to fight. All I can do now is relive what he told me in my mind to keep me going.

“Trust me, I wouldn’t be in the ring if I wasn’t ready to fight. It’s always hard losing a father but I’m ready.”

Tony Harrison said he has confidence in his brother, a mainstay at Salaam’s SuperBad Boxing Gym in Detroit since he retired as a pro basketball player overseas in 2014. He has specialized in strength and conditioning but also learned the technical ropes from his father.

Salaam was an old-school disciplinarian, which obviously worked in his son’s case. LJ is a more modern, more subtle coach. Tony is comfortable with that approach.

“Our chemistry is good,” the fighter said, referring to LJ. “Just having youth on our side, just having him understand how times are rolling. My dad was a little strict in everything he did. My brother is a little more lenient. He was a professional athlete himself.

“He understands what I need and when I need it. He’s not so head strong that things be done his way.”

The brothers have a significant task in front of them: rebuilding after the loss against Charlo.

Harrison said he doesn’t think much about the setback but acknowledged that it gnaws at him when he does. He tells himself that he was doing well – the fight was close on the cards – and that victory was within his grasp.

And then it was over. A left hook led to two knockdowns and ultimately a stoppage.

Can Harrison bounce back from that kind of loss? Setbacks – even brutal ones – are part of the sport, he said. As long a fighter accepts that and focuses on what got him there in the first place, he should be just fine.

“The fight game sometimes is a game of inches, like football,” said Harrison, whose cousin is former San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. “A wrong inch one way or another can cost you a fight. That’s how it is.

“You just have to stay fundamentally sound, you just have to stay disciplined. And, at 30, I’m the most disciplined I’ve ever been.”

The comeback starts against Perrella (17-3, 14 KOs), a capable southpaw who is coming off a last-second knockout loss to Abel Ramos in February of last year. And it comes after a 16-month haitus, the longest of Harrison’s career.

He respects Perrella, who is moving up in weight to face him. And he’s as curious as everyone else about whether he’ll be rusty after the layoff, although he said he worked hard and felt during his first training camp with his brother as head trainer.

The only thing he knows for sure going into the fight? He’s excited, excited to get back into the ring, excited to have his hand raised again, excited to get back on a path toward a world title.

“To be honest I am itchy to get back in there,” he said. “Sparring has been tough, losing the weight has been tough. All in all, the journey has been worthwhile. I’m looking forward to getting back into the ring.

“I’m really fired up. I’m ready to do this for everyone, for me, for [my brother], for Ali. I’m ready to showcase what I can do.”

[lawrence-related id=19398,19259,8404,4362,6231]

Tony Harrison will be fighting on Saturday without someone who has been his corner from day one: his father.

Ali Salaam, who has trained the junior middleweight contender for almost his entire career, died of complications related to COVID-19 in April of last year. LJ Harrison, his brother, has taken over the training duties.

Of course, the loss of his dad and mentor was difficult for Tony Harrison. However, he feels emotional fit entering his fight with Bryant Perrella at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles (Fox).

“I wouldn’t [fight] if I wasn’t ready,” said Harrison, who is coming off an 11^th-round knockout loss to Jermell Charlo that cost him the title he won by outpointing Charlo a year earlier. “He taught me how to fight. All I can do now is relive what he told me in my mind to keep me going.

“Trust me, I wouldn’t be in the ring if I wasn’t ready to fight. It’s always hard losing a father but I’m ready.”

Tony Harrison said he has confidence in his brother, a mainstay at Salaam’s SuperBad Boxing Gym in Detroit since he retired as a pro basketball player overseas in 2014. He has specialized in strength and conditioning but also learned the technical ropes from his father.

Salaam was an old-school disciplinarian, which obviously worked in his son’s case. LJ is a more modern, more subtle coach. Tony is comfortable with that approach.

“Our chemistry is good,” the fighter said, referring to LJ. “Just having youth on our side, just having him understand how times are rolling. My dad was a little strict in everything he did. My brother is a little more lenient. He was a professional athlete himself.

“He understands what I need and when I need it. He’s not so head strong that things be done his way.”

The brothers have a significant task in front of them: rebuilding after the loss against Charlo.

Harrison said he doesn’t think much about the setback but acknowledged that it gnaws at him when he does. He tells himself that he was doing well – the fight was close on the cards – and that victory was within his grasp.

And then it was over. A left hook led to two knockdowns and ultimately a stoppage.

Can Harrison bounce back from that kind of loss? Setbacks – even brutal ones – are part of the sport, he said. As long a fighter accepts that and focuses on what got him there in the first place, he should be just fine.

“The fight game sometimes is a game of inches, like football,” said Harrison, whose cousin is former San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. “A wrong inch one way or another can cost you a fight. That’s how it is.

“You just have to stay fundamentally sound, you just have to stay disciplined. And, at 30, I’m the most disciplined I’ve ever been.”

The comeback starts against Perrella (17-3, 14 KOs), a capable southpaw who is coming off a last-second knockout loss to Abel Ramos in February of last year. And it comes after a 16-month haitus, the longest of Harrison’s career.

He respects Perrella, who is moving up in weight to face him. And he’s as curious as everyone else about whether he’ll be rusty after the layoff, although he said he worked hard and felt during his first training camp with his brother as head trainer.

The only thing he knows for sure going into the fight? He’s excited, excited to get back into the ring, excited to have his hand raised again, excited to get back on a path toward a world title.

“To be honest I am itchy to get back in there,” he said. “Sparring has been tough, losing the weight has been tough. All in all, the journey has been worthwhile. I’m looking forward to getting back into the ring.

“I’m really fired up. I’m ready to do this for everyone, for me, for [my brother], for Ali. I’m ready to showcase what I can do.”

[lawrence-related id=19398,19259,8404,4362,6231]