Big opportunities often come from unexpected setbacks—and for undefeated Albuquerque boxer Abraham Perez, that moment has arrived. After being passed over for a world title shot, Perez is now stepping into the ring for an interim world title bout that could change everything.

On June 14, Perez (14-0, 7 KOs) will face Puerto Rican southpaw Jonathan González (29-4-1, 14 KOs) for the WBA interim flyweight (112-pound) title in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The fight headlines a Salita Promotions card and streams live on DAZN (time TBA).

This matchup carries serious weight. González, a former light flyweight world champion, claimed the interim title in January with a decisive unanimous decision over Yankiel Rivera. He's the most accomplished opponent Perez has faced—but he's also coming off a first-round TKO loss to Anthony Olascuaga, the very fighter who denied Perez a WBO world title shot earlier this year.

Perez had signed to challenge Olascuaga for the WBO world flyweight title, but Olascuaga's team declined the matchup, opting instead to defend against Andy Dominguez on July 11 in San Francisco. For Perez, this interim title fight is the next-best thing—and a chance to prove he belongs on boxing's biggest stage.

But in boxing, "interim" can be a tricky word. A victory over González doesn't guarantee a shot at WBA world champion Ricardo Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs), who defends his title against Galal Yafar on June 6 in Sheffield, England. As New Mexico's Brian Mendoza learned in 2023, winning an interim title can open doors—but not always the ones you expect. Mendoza's stunning knockout of Sebastian Fundora earned him the WBC interim welterweight title but didn't lead to a shot at champion Jermell Charlo. Instead, it led to a WBO world title opportunity he lost to Tim Tszyu.

For Perez, the road to this moment hasn't been easy. The 27-year-old lost nearly a year of his career after a near-drowning incident while doing breathing-control exercises in his family's pool in July 2024. That accident cost him a spot on the high-profile Angelo Leo-Luis Alberto Lopez card at Tingley Coliseum—a fight that would have given him significant exposure against fellow Albuquerquean Matt Griego-Ortega.

Now, fully recovered and focused, Perez has a chance to turn that lost year into a career-defining victory. Should he defeat González, the winner of Sandoval vs. Yafar could be looking at a late 2026 title defense—giving Perez time to build momentum and make his case for a world title shot.

Before that, though, boxing fans can catch an exciting undercard this Saturday: Katherine Lindenmuth vs. Linn Sandstrom in Brondby, Denmark, streaming on DAZN at 11:05 a.m. MT.

For Abraham Perez, the interim title isn't just a consolation prize—it's a launchpad. And on June 14, he plans to take off.