On October 11, Cuban rising star Eduardo Perez Diaz took on Mathew Soto on the undercard of the Most Valuable Prospects 9 event. Jan Paul Rivera and Andy Beltran headlined the event at the Coliseo Roger Mendoza in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Soto vs Perez fight consisted of four rounds of 3 minutes each. While ‘Sugar Kid’ turned out victorious via a unanimous decision of 40-35 by all three judges, Perez stole the headlines with an illegal move. On Monday, Most Valuable Promotions took to their Instagram to upload a video of the fight which showed Perez hit Soto after knocking down the latter. The move saw a unanimous backlash in the comments by fans as even Jake Paul‘s ex-trainer BJ Flores demanded suspension.

Illegal punch stirs controversy

The video posted by Most Valuable Promotions featured Soto eating a right hand from the Cuban boxer before getting knocked down. Soto fell on the ground on his back as Perez kept the chase alive. But things got controversial when Eduardo Perez went in for another hit after knocking Mathew Soto down and he connected with the punch. There were loud boos and jeers from the crowd as no one was in favor of that illegal move.

Most Valuable Promotions informed everyone that the referee had deducted a point from Perez, which ultimately resulted in his loss. But such a light punishment left the fans unsatisfied. They rallied behind Soto and demanded more strict action against Perez, as Jake Paul’s ex-trainer and former cruiserweight BJ Flores joined the movement.

Jake Paul’s ex-trainer and the boxing community demands a suspension

BJ Flores, the former NABO Cruiserweight Champion, and Jake Paul’s ex-trainer, commented on the video. The referee’s decision outraged him as he wrote, “Immediate disqualification and 1 year ban,” stating that a one-point penalty for this is not enough. Flores, who has trained many boxers and is part of several broadcasts, knows that moves like these can leave a lasting impact. His reaction lined up with the fans as several others cited their opinions demanding a harsher punishment.

Another fan wrote, “deducted 1 point?? that’s a whole DQ bro at least 2 points,” expressing that it should have been a 2-point deduction or a disqualification from the fight. A referee can deduct 2 points directly from the score if there is severe misconduct, or a move harms the boxer’s safety. According to this fan, both of those things happened during this move.

Another fan wrote, “Supposed to be DQ’ed baby,” as he thought that point deduction is much lighter consequences for the illegal move by Perez. A referee can disqualify a fighter from the match if he thinks that there is some serious violation of unsportsmanlike conduct or if the fighter fails to follow the referee’s instructions. 

Another fan completely dismissed the idea of the move being unintentional as he wrote, “He knew wtf he was doing.” He implied that Perez was in control of his body and could have stopped during the knockdown.

Another user, completely disgusted by the move, wrote, “Shouldn’t have an offer to fight again.” According to him, Perez let his emotions take over and endanger the well-being of Soto. If he can’t control himself during these situations, he is putting everyone at risk. Even though the chances of something similar happening are low, Perez should not get another fight.

Well, we won’t know whether the move was intentional or unintentional until Eduardo Perez himself clears up the situation. But, the unanimous outrage against the move is the same as fans do not want to see a grave injury due to sheer negligence.

What are your thoughts on the referee’s decision? Do you agree with BJ Flores’s reaction and want a ban on Eduardo Perez? Let us know your thoughts down below.