Real boxing heroes: Young Perez.

Morning all.

Having briefly touched on this remarkable fighter on Jeff's excellent Primo Carnera thread, I actually got off my backside and did a little research on him. I'm glad I did as it turns out he was quite a person and made the ultimate sacrifice in the end.

If only to remove the tedium of reading another thread that Azania is involved in, I thought I would share a little bit of Perez's story.

Victor "Young" Perez was born in 1911 in French Tunisia in a working class neighbourhood of the capital city, Tunis. He was a small but handsome kid who began his boxing career in 1928 in North Africa as a five foot one inch, 110 lb Flyweight before moving to Paris in search of greater fights and bigger purses. Perez fought numerous times in Paris before eventually winning the French Flyweight title in 1930. He went on to win many more fights in Paris, Africa and even Manchester, before finally securing a World Title fight, in Paris, against American Champion Frankie Genaro whom Perez knocked out in the second round to fulfill his dream of winning a World title. Being a World Champion, however, wasn't enough for Perez who, armed with more money and fame than he could ever have imagined growing up in Tunisia, began to enjoy all the trappings of success and the bright lights of Paris. He loved to party was frequently seen in the company of beautiful women and famous French actresses.

This extra-curricular activity led to his downfall and he eventually lost his title to Lancashire's, Jackie Brown in Manchester on a 13th round stoppage only one year affter winning his crown. Perez carried on fighting all over Europe and again in North Africa, this time campaigning in the Bantamweight division before losing on points to legendary Panama Al Brown in a 1934 World title fight. A second loss to Al Brown at the end of 1934 was Young Perez's last real major fight. He continued his career right up to 1938, even fighting in Nazi Germany in front of a hostile crowd. Perez, a proud Jew, still wore the Star of David on his shorts, despite the German fans baying for blood.

Perez still had designs on regaining a World title, vowing not to return to Tunisia before he achieved his goal. This determination would be decision he would regret, having being caught up in Paris at the outbreak of WWII. Despite trying to escape in 1943, he was arrested by the Nazis and deported to Auschwitz Camp III, one of the most brutal work camps in history. The only saving grace for Perez was the fact the commandant of the camp was a boxing aficionado and organised a group of prisoners, who had boxing experience, into having biweekly boxing exhibitions for the enjoyment of the camps staff. The boxers were given 'special' benefits such as one day a week off their duties so they could train and also receiving an extra bowl of soup per night. Perez's first fight in Auschwitz was apparently against a former German heavyweight whom allegedly outweighed him by 50 pounds and was a foot taller. It made little difference to the former World champion who preceded to knock out his opponent with little fuss. According to reports, Perez went on to fight over 140 times in Auschwitz, winning almost all his bouts.

Perez, proud of his Jewishness, refused to tow the line in camp, making at least one escape attempt and kept scores of other prisoners alive by stealing bread rations when he was working in the kitchens. When warned of the possible repercussions of his actions, Perez is said to have answered "Human beings were created to help others. We live in order to help". The end for Perez came in 1945. With the Soviet Red Army on the verge of taking Poland, the Nazis evacuated nearly 60,000 prisoners from Auschwitz, forcibly marching them through the harsh and freezing Polish winter towards Germany. Fewer than 20,000 inmates survived the 'death march' with Young Perez not amongst them. According to eye witness reports, Perez, a fighter to the end, was shot by an SS guard whilst trying to give stolen bread to some of his fellow prisoners. At the age of 33 he was killed.

I think it is a fascinating story, and perhaps when people talk about boxers in terms of being 'cowards', we should remember guys like Perez and try to apply some context to the words we use. Boxers are by and large courageous people, and we should remember them as such.

Fascinating story and fab article Tina, thanks for sharing. Never heard of this guy before but he certainly has the kind of life story Hollywood should/could make movies about.....

A cracking story about a fighter I knew little to nothing about previously but anyone who can hold his own in with Al Brown and could take out Genaro so comfortably was obviously some fighter.

Read Max Schemling's biography recently and is sometimes easy to think that the concentration camps were solely the reserve of working class people but Schmeling tells stories of friends of his, artists, actors and writers who literally just disappeared overnight, that a regime can snatch up and basically murder people of reputation and standing like Perez is staggering, but not more than a little depressing

Excellent work, Tino, and a real eye opener. Will confess that I knew virtually nothing of Perez apart from who he won and lost his world title against respectively - didn't know he was so travelled and had such a remarkable, but ultimately tragic final few years of his life.

Must have been an impressive performer, though, as he evidently achieved a hell of a lot by his early twenties. Will be sure to take a closer look at him sometime.

Great stuff.

Thanks Jeff/TopHat/Chris. It all stemmed from a silly picture of Carnera and Perez and then you learn about someone truly inspirational, in and out of the ring.

Not really the place for it, but if you ever get the chance to read a book called If This is a Man by Primo Levi, it has some real heart wrenching stuff about Auschwitz and the death march. Well worth a look.

Fascinating story - and one that deserves more recognition.

Great boxer and a great man.

Superd article. Thanks for taking the effort

Thank you, chaps.

I have got another one in the pipeline, but I will wait till after Easter. The clamour for this one has exhausted me!

Seven responses Tina! would suggest there is a real thirst for the obscure stuff now, may have to get the creative juices flowing.

Shotgun my piece on Tom McCormick first...

Ramon Castillo for me Oxy, could be battle of the tumbleweeds.

rowley wrote:Seven responses Tina! would suggest there is a real thirst for the obscure stuff now, may have to get the creative juices flowing.

Two of them are mine though so lets not get too carried away.

Feel slightly guilty for not posting on your Clarke/Blackburn threads, but I wasn't around much on those days. I could go back and post on them but that would just be transparent!

You wait till I unleash Real Boxing Heroes II after Easter. It's a beauty.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:

Feel slightly guilty for not posting on your Clarke/Blackburn threads, but I wasn't around much on those days. I could go back and post on them but that would just be transparent!

Please don't tina, think sympathy responses are worse than no responses.

Cheers Tino, had heard about him before but not in any detail, just that he had defied the Nazis and died for it. Like you said boxers tend to be courageous people and calling them cowards is not on. The only problem is when you are in esteemed company you are judged by the standard set by your peers. A king does a lifetime of good and 1 injustice and he shall be tainted forever, a thief spends his life thieving, plundering and generally doing what criminals do and does one act of good and all his sins are forgiven. The king is looked upto and the Thief is looked down on.

Similarly boxers especially by fans are looked upto, in that they either excel or entertain us and we follow them. Then one moment of insanity or one early knockout or one early retirement and bang, their respect is gone and they end up as cowards.

Duran - All know but he fought his way back up.
Mcclellan - he was on the floor and the commentators were already questioning his bottle yet he had taking some serious hits from jackson and not quit
Cotto - although things have gone rather quiet on that front because of the handwraps question

Ortiz strangely seems to have been forgiven

So I don't disagree when anyone calls into question a boxers courage, as long as the mitigating circumstances are given fair notice and past behaviour taken into consideration but I do take issues with branding them cowards outright because if they were they wouldn't have got into the ring. Its just that others possess more and it sticks out, so have a clue when asking questions.

Definite ducker If you ask me that needed to grow a pair!!!!

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Definite ducker If you ask me that needed to grow a pair!!!!

Yep, and I heard he imposed a catchweight on that German heavyweight, and he was drained!

But, in all seriousness, a brilliant article. Fascinating read.

Great, but tragic story. Thanks for sharing it. Had he just stayed in line and not tried to offer a hand to others he might've survived.

Mind the windows Tino. wrote:
Perez's first fight in Auschwitz was apparently against a former German heavyweight whom allegedly outweighed him by 50 pounds and was a foot taller. It made little difference to the former World champion who preceded to knock out his opponent with little fuss.

I shall remember this quote for the next time lovely_london claims being 6'3 and well 'ard is enough to knock out Donaire.

Brilliant read tino. Cheers to you and tippy for bringing it back to light. If any of you guys find out where to get the DVD please let me know, I'd definitely give it a watch.

Tina I've read the primo Levi book. A chilling, fascinating read. One everyone should read.

spencerclarke wrote:Brilliant read tino. Cheers to you and tippy for bringing it back to light. If any of you guys find out where to get the DVD please let me know, I'd definitely give it a watch.

Tina I've read the primo Levi book. A chilling, fascinating read. One everyone should read.

Thanks Spence. It was a long time ago now!

I agree about 'If This Is a Man', buddy. In my top 3 books of all time. It should be mandatory for kids in school to read it, then they can learn about real struggle, courage and strength in the greatest of adversity.

Agreed mate, especially when people now a days claim these things never happened.

On a side note I've missed your articles, hope you get the time to do some more soon. Always an interesting read.

Please don't inflate his ego any more, spence.....

Haha but I find it incredible that this article comes from the same mind that has those conversations with galted on the off topic threads!

Do please write some more articles ,MTWT. You're one of the best posters here