Perales improves to 3-0 with another early knockout victory

Genaro "El Negro" Castorena lasted longer than Sergio Perales' two previous opponents.

But in the end, the result was the same.

Perales, a Brownsville native and 2006 graduate of Los Fresnos High School, decked Castorena with a strong left punch to the chin at the 2:25 mark of the second round to earn his third straight professional win by knockout on Saturday night at Jacob Brown Auditorium. Perales fought in the main event of the Marines Promotions' six-bout card billed as "Spring Break Border Town Brawl."

Loud cheers erupted from the pro-Perales crowd when Castorena (1-2) sank to his knees in the corner of the ring after absorbing a brutal left from the left-handed fighter, who improved to 3-0 with three knockouts.

Neither of Perales' two previous opponents made it out of the first round. At least Castorena, a fighter from Laredo who was about four or five inches taller than the 5-5 Perales, lasted until late in the second.

Perales, and his trainer Robert Campos, decided after the opening round that it was time for Castorena to go.

"I wanted to give my fans a knockout," Perales said. "I know that's what they want. My first two pro fights ended in the first round, and this time, I gave them a little more of a show, and it ended in the second. I always want to give the people a knockout because that's what they want to see."

Campos said he was happy to see the fight come to an early end, too.

"Basically, Sergio did great," Campos said. "He didn't rush into things, but we felt that we better get him (Castorena) out in the second because the guy was getting a little bit wild. We didn't want to get careless and let this guy land a lucky punch.

"I told Sergio between the (first and second) rounds, ‘You've got to get him out because I don't like the style he's fighting, it's too wild,'" Campos added. "I told Sergio to pick up the pressure, and he did, so Sergio was able to take care of him."

The next action for Perales will be on the undercard of a scheduled April 18 card in Tucson, Ariz. Weslaco fighter Robert "La Amenaza" Garcia is set to headline the card, which is expected to be televised by Telefutura.

All the fights on Saturday's card at Jacob Brown were scheduled four-rounders.

In the semi-main event matching super middleweights, Raul "El Tigre" Casarez (11-2) of Edinburg won on a unanimous decision over Juan "HEB" Ruiz (3-4) of Alamo.

Humberto "Tito" Ramos (6-0), another Edinburg fighter, also emerged victorious on a unanimous decision in a lightweight bout over Ramiro Torres (8-6) of San Antonio.

The opening fight of the evening featured lightweights Tomas Peña of Kingsville and Ricardo Gutierrez of Pharr. Peña (4-0) prevailed over Gutierrez (0-1) on a knockout at the 1:43 mark of the third round.

The other knockout on the card took place when Terrance Anderson (2-1) of San Antonio defeated Norberto Flores (0-1) of San Juan on a technical knockout at the 1:52 mark of the first round in a battle of 165-pounders.

The card also featured a matchup of 155-pound female fighters. In that bout, Judy Garcia (2-1) of Victoria, Texas, prevailed over Angela Purcell (0-1) of La Feria on a unanimous decision.