By Ian S Palmer
Former WBC World Jr. Middleweight Champion Tony Harrison of Detroit, Michigan will be taking on Bryant Perrella of Fort Myers, Florida in a 10 or 12-round junior middleweight tilt this Saturday, April 17. The fight from Los Angeles can be seen live in North America on the Fox network. Harrison last fought in December, 2019 when he was stopped in the 11th round in a rematch with Jermell Charlo to lose the title he won from Charlo by unanimous decision a year earlier. Perrella last boxed in February, 2020 when was dropped twice in the 10th and final round and was stopped by Abel Ramos just before the final bell.
Harrison is 30 years old and climbs into the ring with a mark of 28-3 with 21 Kos. He’s got quite a bit of power with a knockout ratio of 67.7 per cent but his chin’s questionable since he was stopped in all three of his losses. These came at the hands Charlo as well as Jarrett Hurd in the ninth round in February of 2017 for the vacant IBF Title and to Willie Nelson in the ninth round of their July, 2015 fight.
Harrison’s boxed 139 rounds since turning pro in 2011 and he’s a good-sized junior middleweight at 6-feet-1-inch tall with a reach of 76.5 inches. Harrison’s best wins have been against Charlo, Ishe Smith, Paul Valenzuela Jr, Siarhei Rabchanka, Fernando Guerrero, Antwone Smith, Bronco McKart, Grady Brewer and Calvin Odom. He struggled a bit when moving up in class before beating Charlo and while he’s a good boxer with power he may not quite be on the elite level at this moment.
As for Perrella, he gets into the ring with a record of 17-3 with 14 Kos. He’s 32 years old and has boxed just 78 rounds since turning pro in 2012. Before that, he started boxing as a 14-year-old and reportedly went 70-9 as an amateur. The was a three-time Sunshine State Games Gold Medalist and won a silver medal at the 2009 World Ringside Tournament as well as a bronze medal at the 2010 National Police Athletic League (PAL) Tournament. He also boxed at the 2012 US Olympic trials.
He beat Ladarius Miller, Radivoje Kalajdzic, Miguel Cruz, Willie Jones and Regis Prograis as an amateur and lost to Errol Spence and Samuel Vasquez. Perrella also stands 6-feet-1-inch tall and has a 72-inch reach which means Harrison has a four-inch reach advantage on him. He’s got good power as well with a current knockout ratio of 70 per cent.
But like Harrison, Perrella’s chin may not be as solid as it could be as he’s been stopped in two of his three defeats. His first loss was a fourth-round TKO at the hands of Yordenis Ugas in 2016 while his second loss was a 10-round majority decision to Luis Collazo with his third defeat coming to Ranmos the last time out. Perrella’s biggest wins have been against Breidis Prescott, David Grayton and Raymon Ayala.
Prediction…
Both Harrison and Perrella possess plenty of power and they’ve been stopped five times between them in their combined six losses. Therefore, we might see a knockdown or two along the way here. They each have good boxing skills too though so it could also be a bit of a chess match. Harrison is the favourite and if he’s at his best he should be able to do enough to add another win to his record.
