According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, trainer Rudy Perez passed away of Stomach cancer in Mexico City.
Perez trained Marco Antonio Barrera, Israel Vazquez, Marcos Maidana, Pablo Cesar Cano, Hernan Marquez, Adrian Hernandez and Jorge Barrios.
“Rudy was one of those trainers who wasn’t as famous as many others, but he was a very patient trainer,” said Robert Diaz, the Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker, who previously spent years working with Barrera and got to know Perez well. “I would consider him like a second father. He was so kindhearted. He called my kids his grandchildren.
“As a trainer, he was the kind of trainer who went out to run with his fighters, he’d diet with his fighters. He would eat whatever Marco would eat. He wasn’t a trainer who would sit there and eat a steak or a hamburger while the fighter was dieting and eating a salad. He didn’t believe in too many rounds of sparring for his fighters because he wanted them fresh and not hurt going into the fight.”
“We had a great relationship. He was a great man, a great friend and he will be missed,” said Vazquez manager Frank Espinoza. “He was a great trainer and a great motivator. He was the type of guy you wanted in your guy’s corner. I’ll really miss this guy. He was a team player.”
“Team Maidana is deeply sorry to hear about the passing of Rudy Perez, a great trainer and person,” Maidana tweeted.
“I dedicate that win to him,” Maidana said. “Our prayers to Rudy’s family. We’ll always remember him. Rest his soul in peace.”
“That third fight with Marquez was a very, very close fight, and after the 11th round, Rudy literally slapped Israel in the chest in the corner,” Espinoza said. “At that particular time, it motivated Israel. It pissed him off, but that made Israel go forward in that 12th round with so much intensity. He got the [knockdown] against Marquez in that round, won the round and won the fight. I believe after the 11th round that without Rudy Perez’s instruction and what he did by slapping Israel, we wouldn’t have won the fight. I think it gave Israel that little something extra he needed to go out and win the round and the fight. It was a great victory.”
“He knew Israel needed that last round, and he slapped him hard on the chest and said something like, ‘Why don’t you just give Marquez the title?’ The bell rang, and Israel came out like it was the first round,” Diaz said. “I think what Rudy did really made the difference in the fight.”
Perez is survived by his wife, Consuelo, and their son. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday in Mexico City.
