| Fight Name: | Mairis Briedis vs. Mike Perez |
| Fight Date: | 30 September 2017 |
| Location: | Arena Riga, Riga, Latvia |
| Titles: | WBC cruiserweight title |
| Fighter1: | Mairis Briedis |
| Nickname1: | "The Latvian Punisher" |
| Hometown1: | Riga, Latvia |
| Record1: | 22–0 (18 KO) |
| Height1: | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight1: | 198+1/2 lb |
| Style1: | Orthodox |
| Recognition1: | WBC Cruiserweight Champion The Ring No. 4 Ranked Cruiserweight TBRB No. 6 Ranked Cruiserweight |
| Fighter2: |  Mike Perez |
| Nickname2: | "The Rebel" |
| Hometown2: | Sancti Spíritus, Cuba |
| Record2: | 22–2–1 (14 KO) |
| Height2: | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight2: | 197+1/3 lb |
| Style2: | Southpaw |
| Recognition2: | WBC No. 12 Ranked Cruiserweight |
| Result: | Briedis defeats Perez via UD (116–110, 114–112, 115–111) |
Mairis Briedis vs. Mike Perez was a professional boxing match contested on 30 September 2017, for the WBC cruiserweight championship.[1]
At the WBSS Draft Gala, which took place on 8 July in Monte Carlo, WBC champion Mairis Briedis chose former heavyweight contender Mike Perez (22–2–1, 14 KOs) as his quarter-final opponent. Perez had been out of action for 25 months before moving down from the heavyweight division following a TKO loss to Alexander Povetkin and won his first fight at that weight with a first-round knockout on 10 June 2017.[2] On 22 July, the WBSS announced the fight would take place in Briedis' home country of Latvia at the Rīga Arēna in Riga on 30 September 2017 and would be the third quarter final, coming a week after Yunier Dorticos knocked out Dmitry Kudryashov.[3] [4] At the official weigh-in, Briedis tipped the scales at 198 1⁄2 lbs, while Mike Perez came in lighter, at 197 1⁄3 lbs.[5] This was Briedis' first defence of the belt he won against Marco Huck in April.
Briedis won a scrappy fight, beating Perez by unanimous decision after 12 rounds (116–110, 114–112, 115–111).[6] Perez was deducted a point in round 3 following an accidental headbutt. Briedis was also docked a point during round 10 for excessive holding.[7]
With the win, Briedis moved on to the semifinals to face top-seeded Oleksandr Usyk.[8]
Confirmed bouts:[9]
| align=center | Country | align=center | Broadcaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viasat[10] | |||
| VOO[11] | |||
| Nova | |||
| Super Channel | |||
| Match! Boets[12] | |||
| StarHub | |||
| TVMS | |||
| Tivibu Sports[13] | |||
| ITV | |||
| Audience[14] | |||
