Perez Stops Rivera in Albuquerque
Abraham Perez won a unanimous decision over Yankiel Rivera to retain his IBF Intercontinental flyweight title at Kiva Auditorium.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Boxing
Abraham Perez defeated Yankiel Rivera by unanimous decision over 12 rounds at Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, retaining his IBF Intercontinental flyweight title. Perez scored a second-round knockdown with a right hand to the nose that dropped Rivera in the closing seconds of the round.
Why it matters
The result keeps Perez, who improved to 16-0 with 7 KOs, unbeaten and holding a regional title. Rivera, now 8-2-1 with 4 KOs, absorbed the loss after a card that also featured several other Albuquerque bouts.
Official scorecards were 118-109, 118-109 and 120-107 for Perez, with his record now 16-0 and Rivera's now 8-2-1. The extraction does not indicate whether a rematch or next bout has been scheduled.
The players
Abraham Perez
Abraham Perez is a flyweight boxer who remained unbeaten at 16-0 after winning the main event.
Yankiel Rivera
Yankiel Rivera is a boxer who lost the main event and is now 8-2-1 with 4 knockouts.
The details
Perez landed a right hand to Rivera's nose in the closing seconds of the second round, dropping him, and later rocked Rivera with a right to the chin near the end of the seventh round. Rivera opened a cut over Perez's left eyebrow with a right hook in the final minute of the fourth round, but Perez controlled the bout to the final bell.
Timeline
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Perez defeats Rivera by unanimous decision at Kiva Auditorium.
Season Trajectory
Perez's defense of his IBF Intercontinental flyweight belt adds to a title reign that has now carried through a second successful defense in the sanctioning body's regional ranking. The result places him as one of the few unbeaten flyweights holding a regional belt on the current IBF Intercontinental card.
Perez's unbeaten 16-0 record and IBF Intercontinental title make him a contender in the flyweight division for fans tracking regional rankings. Rivera's 8-2-1 mark will be watched by those following the Albuquerque card for future matchups.
The takeaway
A unanimous decision and a late knockdown can define a title defense, and Perez's 16-0 start shows how a regional belt can anchor a flyweight's rise. Readers following the division should track Albuquerque cards for the next rankings shift.
Further reading
For more on regional title fights, see Boxing coverage in Albuquerque.
