Among the motivations for Joseph Agbeko entering Saturday night's defense of his IBF, 118-pound title against Yonnhy Perez is his desire to achieve the greatness of two of his African predecessors.Like Agbeko, a 29-year-old bantamweight titlist, Ghaninan legends such as three-time champion Azumah Nelson and former belt-holder Ike Quartey, hail from the city of Accra. Nelson excelled as a featherweight (126) and super featherweight (130), and Quartey, as a welterweight (147).
Nelson and Quartey have made appearances at Agbeko's training sessions, encouraging him during his quest to be considered among the sport's best fighters, pound-for-pound.
They are, in fact, worshipped by the 29-year-old Agbeko (27-1, 22 KOs), whose middle name, "King Kong," was given to him by his father at birth.
So it is with a bit of rancor -- albeit, cool-headed, simmering rancor -- that Agbeko has handled the assertion by Perez (19-0, 14 knockouts) that most African fighters write checks that their fists can't cash.
"I've traveled to Africa, and I know how the fighters of that continent are. I know they can talk more than what they can actually do in the ring," said Perez, 30, who will face Agbeko at the Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas as the main event to the first fight card ever to be hosted by the venue.
"So [Agbeko] shouldn't spit up in the air," said Perez, "because all that's going to do is fall right on back on his face."
The fight will be televised on Showtime, and for his part, Agbeko has vowed to flatten Perez, even as he respects the native Colombian's skills.
Speaking from his cell phone in Las Vegas on Friday, promoter Don King said "Nevada is going with instant replay tomorrow on these fights, under the circumstances that a referee misses a call."
The move makes the card the first in Las Vegas during which the referees will be permitted to use instant replay, in accordance with recently adopted Nevada State Athletic Commission rules.
King said that he and other promoters, such as Gary Shaw, were briefed by state athletic commission executive director, Keith Kizer, regarding the inaugural move earlier in the week.
At his discretion, the referee, said King, can review situations involving, for example, whether or not a cut was caused by a punch or head-butt, or determine whether action occurred before or after the bell.
"It's up to the referee to recognize it," said King. "When they recognize it, then you've got a chance."
Both Agbeko and Perez are coming off career-defining victories.
In July, Agbeko scored a unanimous decision over Armenian-born southpaw Vic Darchinyan of Austrailia. Nicknamed, "The Raging Bull," the hard-punching Darchinyan rose from 115-pounds, where he held the WBC, WBA and IBF super flyweight crowns.
In May, Perez knocked out South African, Silence Mbuza, before the latter's home crowd in Johannesburg, overcoming a huge deficit on the judges cards to flatten his rival with 66 seconds left in the 12th round.
Agbeko would be wise not to stand toe-to-toe and willingly trade blows with Perez as he did often against Darchinyan.
It would be wiser for Agbeko to use the capable boxing skills and considerable reach that have helped him through six straight victories -- three of them by knockout -- since losing a majority decision to Wladimir Sidorenko in May of 2004.
Agbeko may take some shots, but the pick here is that he will win a decision.
Co-main event
Nicaraguan Jose Alfaro will be after his fourth straight victory -- and his 21st knockout -- in the other Showtime televised bout against Mexican southpaw Antonio Demarco at 135 pounds.
Alfaro (23-4, 20 knockouts) and Demarco (22-1, 16 KOs) are the No. 2 and No. 1 contenders, respectively, to the WBA lightweight crown held by Namibia's Paulus Moses (25-0, 17 KOs). The are fighting for the interim WBC belt.
Pay Per View online.
Three of the five undercard bouts can be viewed on www.DonKingTV.com for 5.99, said King.
In those bouts, heavyweight Ray Austin (27-4-4, 17 KOs) will take on former world title contender, DaVarryl Williamson (26-5, 22 KOs); junior middleweight (154) James De la Rosa (19-0, 12 KOs) will face Lenin Arroyo (20-10-1, four KOs); and junior middleweight Nelson Linares (18-0-1, 11 KOs) will meet Archak TerMeliksetian (16-7, 13 KOs).
"We have around 195 countries" who have signed up for the online pay per view, said King.
Mike Tyson's back
Mike Tyson has joined the broadcast team for the blow-by-blow along with announcer James "Smitty" Smith and analyst Ken Miller at ringside.
"To see Mike Tyson come back, I want you to play that theme song from Peaches and Herb, 'Reunited, and it feels so good.' It's a marvelous feeling. My heart rejoices," said King, who once promoted Tyson.
