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By ERIC BENEVIDES Sports writer PAWTUCKET --- It wasn't a trainer, promoter, or anyone associated with boxing that first discovered Diego Pereira's potential to become a very good fighter.
Rather, it was one of his Calcutt Middle School classmates, who after seeing Pereira mix it up with a fellow 12-year-old classmate in a schoolyard fight, took him aside and gave him some advice.
"Growing up, I had a lot of problems in school," added Pereira. "(To make a) long story short, I got into a fight, and one of the kids who was watching me (fight) pushed me to the side and said, 'Look, there's a boxing gym over there. It's my gym. You should come to it.' "
That gym was the old B&F Boxing Gym at the Barton Street Community Center in Central Falls, a short walk from their Washington Street school. Pereira followed the advice and took a peek inside the gym, and that's where the seeds to his boxing career were planted.
Twelve years and several amateur tournaments later, the Pawtucket resident made a successful pro debut on the undercard of Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc.'s "Rumble at the River" show on March 14 at the Twin River Events Center.
Contesting Brockton's Felix "The Joker" Felisberto in a four-round junior welterweight match, Pereira was awarded a third-round TKO when Felisberto was unable to leave his stool for the fourth round. It turned out that Pereira broke Felisberto's jaw with a vicious left hook in the final seconds of the third round, which he dominated from start to finish.
"I felt really good," Pereira said during a break in his workout with trainer Bert Neves at Elite Martial Arts on Smithfield Avenue. "I was a little nervous because we weren't really sure who my opponent was or how much experience (Felisberto) had. He had a 4-8 record, but all the losses he had were against top contenders, including guys I fought in the amateurs who beat me.
"There were a couple of other factors. We used smaller eight-ounce gloves and I was also going to fight without headgear. And there were a few questions. Am I going to do good? How am I going to feel after I get hit? But everything went alright, and I can't wait to get back into the ring for my next fight."
The road Pereira took from his fight at Calcutt Middle School to last month's bout at Twin River had its shares of bumps along the way, but thanks largely to Neves, he was able to stay on track.
When Pereira's first coach at the B&F Boxing Gym passed away, Neves, who also coached at the gym, instanly stepped in and took the young teenager under his wing.
A few years later, the gym changed addresses to Broadway in Pawtucket, and Pereira, who lived in a group home, was unable to get transportation there and quit the sport. As a result, he was getting back into trouble, but Neves again stepped in, and not only did he become his foster parent, but he got him back in the gym, this time at Elite Martial Arts, which is owned by his nephew, Manny.
"Diego wasn't really a bad kid, but I could see that he was going down the wrong path at that time," said Neves. "He was flunking high school at the time and I told him, 'Look, the only thing I want out of this is you finishing high school with good marks.' He ended up making the honor roll that year, and my wife and I were so pleased and happy."
"What I love most about Diego is the relationship he has with Coach Bert," remarked CES president Jimmy Burchfield. "Diego was a guy that ran the streets a little bit, got himself into trouble, and did things that he wasn't supposed to, but Coach Bert ended up bringing him into his home and getting him to do well in school. It's a wonderful, wonderful story."
In Neves' house, education was first and boxing was second. and Pereira was able to balance both of them. He graduated from Central Falls High in 2004, and two years later, the Community College of Rhode Island, and during that time, he pieced together a superb amateur resume.
Fighting at 147 pounds, he captured several championships, ranging from Junior Olympic and Silver Gloves titles to victories in New England's Rocky Marciano tournament and a string of national titles in his native Portugal.
"I fought five times in Portugal," added Pereira, "and out of all the fights I had, only one guy didn't hit the floor."
When Pereira turned 22, he and Neves thought it was time he entered the pro ranks. Burchfield also thought so, and in mid-February, signed him to a four-year contract with CES.
"The amateurs just weren't for me," added Pereira. "In the amateurs, the fights are all about scoring. It's all points and pitty pats, and that's what I'm not all about. I'm all about power, and I want to go in there and I want to hit my opponents with solid punches without having to worry about (points)."
"His physique and the way he fights reminds me of a little Mike Tyson," added Burchfield. "And he's got a heck of a following. (Fans) came out in droves for him. It's wonderful stuff, and Pawtucket and northern Rhode Island should be very proud not only of Diego, but of Coach Bert."
Burchfield also wasted little time in getting Pereira his fight with Felisberto. Pereira and Neves had a few minor concerns about the timing of the bout, but once March 14 rolled around, they were ready to rumble.
"We really had to work hard for this fight," offered Neves. "I was worried a little about his endurance because we didn't have much time to get ready for this fight. And his weight was still 147 (pounds) and he's a very, very solid kid who might have just six percent body fat. We had to bring him down to 139 within three weeks, so he did a lot of running and conditioning with his coach Jose (Santos) and it worked out well."
Any doubts Pereira had fighting without his headgear and with lighter gloves quicly dissolved in the opening round and early moments of the second. Felisberto landed a few punches (and headbutts) in the first round that didn't affect Pereira, and after Pereira began to dole out some punishment of his own, he took over the bout in the third round.
"I hit him with a couple of combinations in that round, but I think I broke his jaw on the last rally that I hit him with," noted Pereira. "He backed up against the ropes and I came in with a right cross and followed with a left hook. After that, he was backing away from me and I was trying to put pressure on him, but the bell rang."
Moments later, Pereira received his first pro triumph and his first ovation from the pro-Rhode Island crowd. He also received a slighty sprained left wrist from the blow to Felisberto's jaw, but he thinks it's nothing that will prevent him from he hopes is another fight at the end of next month.
"I feel great," admitted Pereira. "I'm back in the gym and I can't wait to get back into the ring. I want to get things moving."
"If he fights again in May and everything goes well, then maybe he will fight again in July and then in the fall," added Neves. "Within two years, I hope he can be in a position to go for some sort of title, but we're taking everything one step at a time. He's a very good kid and he's come a long way, and I'm just glad I was able to help him out."
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