First Round KO

Two rounds, two knockouts.

Not bad for the beginning of Sergio Perales’ pro boxing career.

Perales (2-0, 2 KOs), a Brownsville native and 2006 Los Fresnos High School graduate, floored Richard “Angelito” Flores (1-6) with a hard left punch to the chin at the 2:26 mark of the first round to notch his second professional victory before a large group of enthusiastic and boisterous fans on Friday night at Brownsville’s Jacob Brown Auditorium.

Perales was coming off his pro debut on Nov. 30, 2007, at Jacob Brown when he stopped Pedro Silva (1-6) with a strong punch to the abdomen at the 1:12 mark of the opening round.

At least, this time, Perales’ fight lasted twice as long as his previous outing. Friday’s fight was scheduled for four rounds.

“I tried to pace myself a little bit more than the last time, but I got overanxious when I saw the open-ings the guy was giving me,” said Perales, a bantamweight who as an amateur reached the final four of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Trials in Houston last summer. “He gave it (opening) to me, and I just had to take it. I couldn’t wait (until the next round).”

Added Robert Campos, Perales’ trainer: “I want Sergio to get experience in the ring as a pro. You knock out a guy so quickly and you basically don’t get that experience, but I’m still very pleased with how Sergio did tonight. He’ll have plenty of chances to get that (pro) experience in the future. He was a little more calmer and patient tonight. He did great. It’s a learning process because fighting as a pro is differ-ent than fighting as an amateur.”

Friday’s seven-fight card was presented by Marines Promotions and Budweiser it was billed as Boxing Blowout 2008 Texas Cup Series featuring fighters representing the Rio Grande Valley going against opponents representing San Antonio. The RGV fighters won the competition 5-2.

In the evening’s first fight, welterweight Jesse Villarreal (2-3) of San Antonio won on a technical knockout at the 1:16 mark of the fourth round over Gerardo Alvarado (0-5) of Pharr.

Also winning by TKO was super lightweight Humberto “Tito” Ramos (5-0) of Edinburg, who stopped Isidro “Jalapeno” Silva (3-13) of San Antonio at the 2:05 mark of the fourth round.

Brownsville middleweight Isidro “Conejo” Arreola (3-2) won on a four-round unanimous decision (40-36, 40-36, 40-36) over Terrance Anderson (1-1) of San Antonio.

In an entertaining four-round heavyweight bout, Homer Fonseca (3-2) of Kingsville prevailed over Osvaldo “Psycho Monster) Martinez (5-3) of San Antonio on a TKO at the 2:12 mark of the second round.

In a four-round female fight of bantamweights, Johanna Mendez (2-0) of Houston won via a unanimous decision (40-36, 39-37, 40-36) over Bianca “Taz” Ledezma (1-1) of San Antonio.

Also on the card, super welterweight Reymundo “Ray Lino” Gatica (9-0) of San Antonio won on a four-round unanimous decision (39-37, 40-36, 40-36) over Julio Perez (5-8) of Mission. Gatica is a Texas state champion, but Friday’s bout was a non-title fight.