Tony Harrison gets a gift draw from the judges over Bryant Perrella
Former unified junior middleweight champion Tony “Super Bad” Harrison (28-3, 21ko) will be looking to maintain his WBC #3 ranking against Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella (17-3, 14ko). This fight will test the careers of both fighters. Harrison needs to get into the conversation for the championship, and he will be fighting for the first time since losing to unified champion Jermell Charlo back in December 2019. Moreover, a loss to a non-ranked fighter will be devastating.
Goodfella will be trying to put a knockout defeat in his rearview. He had the fight won against Abel Ramos before getting stopped in the final round back in February 2020. Furthermore, he will have in his corner legendary fighter Roy Jones Jr. So his confidence level will be high.
Harrison’s coming off a long layoff and the loss of his father to COVID-19 tested him mentally. The fight started as a bit of a cat-and-mouse type of fight. Harrison used his footwork to stalk his opponent into the ropes, landing a hard jab followed by a straight right-hand against the southpaw Perrella.
However, Goodfella was able to find success landing the straight left and a counter-right hook to the body while finishing up with the jab to create space. Harrison was beginning to find a home for the jab and straight right-hand whenever he was able to close the gap.
THE UNDERDOG CAME TO FIGHT
Anyone thinking this was going to be an easy fight for the former unified champion was poorly mistaken. In the sixth round, Perrella controlled the majority of the period with left-hand counters. He landed a picture-perfect, straight left-hand and a right hook that stunned the heavily favorited Harrison. Yet the former champion showed his championship mettle . He bounced back in the last minute of the round with some good body shots and stiff, hard jabs.
Goodfella’s awkwardness, speed, and counter-punching were keeping the former champion off balance. Harrison was able to land the jab, which started some swelling on the left eye of Perrella. However, Goodfella kept coming back, landing a double-straight left-hand to the head and that stiff jab, backing up the former champion.
LATE-FIGHT ROLE REVERSAL
Going into the championship rounds, Perrella’s confidence was growing. He had the former champion in retreat from landing the jab and straight left hand repeatedly. Harrison would fire back with two stiff jabs and a good right-hand counter, looking to steal the last minute of the closing rounds.
Perrella came out very aggressive going into the last two rounds, landing the jab and the straight left-hand. Harrison would come on in the last minute of the rounds landing a hard jab and a straight right-hand. Both men would trade hard jabs followed up by a left-hand counter from Perrella and a right-hand counter from Harrison as the final bell sounded. The fight had the feel of a close match.
The scorecards would have two judges scoring it one apiece for each fighter: 116-112 Tony Harrison, 117-111 Bryant Perrella and one judge saw it 114-114 a draw.
They need to run this fight back immediately as this is a huge letdown performance by Harrison. Also, Perrella performed well with new trainer Roy Jones Jr and looked strong competing at junior middleweight.
3kingsboxing scored the fight 116-112 in favor of Perrella.
By: Garrisson Bland
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