Undefeated junior welterweight Carlos “Carlito’s Way” Perez of Meriden takes on battle-tested Anthony Mora, of New Britain in an all-Connecticut bout at the Mohegan Sun on July 24th. The main event that night sees the ring return of former world title holder Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, who recently aligned with Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES). Amdrade hasn’t fought in a year-and-a-half, after suffering a stoppage defeat to David Benavidez, not long after losing his mother.  Whereas Andrade hopes to return to former glory, Perez, also a CES fighter, wants to become the New England area’s next world champion, so he’s looking to showcase his skills against Mora.

 

Mora is 7-8-1, but don’t let that humble record fool you. Guys with similar records have given hot prospects surprising losses “We take it like any other fight,” said Mike Conroy, Perez’ trainer. “A person with nothing to lose is the most dangerous person, so you can never let your guard down.” 

 

“I know Anthony comes to fight,” said Perez, who noted the two have sparred before. “But come July 24th, I’m going to put on a show. You do not want to miss it. I’m coming to make a statement.” 

 

Raised by a single mother, and the youngest of four boys, Perez, age 31, grew up in poverty. He wants better for his family, and believes boxing will allow him to accomplish that. He’s banking on it.  “I don’t want to go back to that,” said Perez. 

 

“Carlito’s Way” admits he got more serious about boxing four years ago, when his daughter, Alahniz, was born. “She made me get on the right path,” said Perez. “I became a father to a little princess and that’s what really kept me on the right path.” 

 

There was a three-and-a-half year period – between 2021 and 2025 - where Perez was inactive due to an eye injury and other factors,  but he has since fought three times in 2025 and once already in 2026.  “For a while I got distracted,” said Perez. “I was dibbin’ and dabbin’ in and out of the ring and I did a lot of things to myself. But like I said, once I found out I was going to have a daughter, that’s what really changed my mindset, around, my whole life around. And it’s all really about me, my daughter and my family now.” 

 

Perez is coming off a first-round stoppage of Deonta Williamson in April. He stopped him with a body punch at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.  “That was one of my best training camps,” he said, adding his latest camp has been equally good. In other words, Mora better watch out. 

 

What can people expect when they see Carlos “Carlito’s Way” Perez in the ring? “They’re going to see a very hard-working, disciplined guy,” said Perez, “A very talented person and humble person, but once I get in the ring, it’s nothing but fireworks man.” 

 

Perez is definitely a family man now. In two recent fights, he honored the passing of his grandfather on his mother’s side, and his grandmother on his father’s side, with large images of their faces on Puerto Rican flags that were part of his ring entrances.

 

Perez, a boxer who likes to  pressure his opponents, splits his training between Conroy’s gym in North Branford and the Beat The Street Community Center in Meriden, the place he learned to box as a youth from coach Dennis Rivera. Rivera doesn’t have a co-trainer title, but he’s part of Perez’ corner at every fight. “I call him grandpa. He’s like a grandpa to me,” said Perez, adding, “He’s loyal to me and I’m loyal to him as well. He’s family. He’s a role model. He’s everything to me.” 

 

A former Silver Gloves national champion, and ex-Golden Gloves competitor who believes he was the victim of a couple of bad decisions in the amateurs, Perez believes it is now his time, after some hiccups along the way. 

 

“It’s God’s timing,” said Perez. 

 

Conroy believes the sky’s the limit for his fighter.  “I’ve trained a lot of people with talent, in boxing and kickboxing, but it is the discipline that gets them over, and Carlito has turned himself around, and he has that discipline now. That’s going to be the difference with Carlito.” 

 

To purchase tickets to the July 24 show, log onto https://cesfights.com/