Pascuale Perez: Argentina's First World Champion
By Ray Dunbar
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 21 Jun 2026
Was born in Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina on May 4, 1926 and was the first boxer from that country to win a world title. He stood four feet 11 inches tall and won the gold medal at the 1948 London Olympic Games.
In 1954 he met world flyweight champion Yoshi Shirai from Japan
and gained a ten round draw in a non-title fight. In November 1954 Perez won the world flyweight title in a return contest over fifteen rounds. In 1956 he faced Filipino Danny Kidd winning a ten round decision. Then he defended his world flyweight title against Leo Espinosa with fifteen round decision.
In 1958 he defended his title against Welshman Dai Dower knocking him out in the first round. After that Perez defended his title against Venezuelan challenger Ramon Arias winning a fifteen round
decision, Arias was the first Venezuelan to compete for a world title. He then fought Filipino challenger Dommy Ursua in Manila and collected a 15 round decision.
In 1959 he suffered his first loss to Japanese rival Sadao Yaoita losing a decision over ten rounds in a non title. To end 1959 in a return contest with his world title on the line he stopped Yaoita in the 13th round. In April 1960 in Bangkok, Perez lost his title to Pone Kingpetch losing a fifteen round decision. In a return fight he was stopped in round eight.
In 1963 in Manila, Perez lost a ten round decision to Leo Zulueta. He had his last fight in 1964 against Panamanian opponent Eugenio Hurtado by a sixth round stoppage.
Pascual Perez defended the world flyweight title ten times and weighed under the flyweight limit on a further seven times making a total of seventeen times he risked his title. He lost four of his last six fights when he was a long way past his best. He took part in 92 fights with 57 knockout wins. He is widely regarded
as being in the top three flyweights of all-time.
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