| Brian Vera | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Bryan Lee Vera |
| Rated at | Super Middleweight Middleweight Light Middleweight |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (184 cm) |
| Reach | 74 in (189 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | December 28, 1981 Fort Worth, Texas, United States |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 23 |
| Wins | 18 |
| Wins by KO | 11 |
| Losses | 6 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Bryan Lee Vera (born December 28, 1981 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States) is a Mexican-American boxer in the super middleweight division. He trains in Cedar Park, Texas.[1] He is best known for upsetting undefeated Middleweight prospect Andy Lee in 2008( although he lost the rematch), as well as former WBC Super Welterweight Champion Sergio Mora in 2011.
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Bryan attended Westwood High School and lettered in football, a sport he had played since a child in Pop Warner. His brother, Gilbert "Boogie" Vera is also a professional boxer[2][3] and his Father was a two-time IBA champion in the heavyweight division.[4]
Vera began his professional career in 2004 and would go onto get some big wins over Etienne Whitaker and Samuel Miller.
He is one of the featured boxers on the third season of the boxing reality TV series, The Contender, which premiered September 4, 2007, on ESPN.[5] Vera suffered his first professional loss in the opening fight of the contest to the shows runner-up Jaidon Codrington.[6]
Recently, Vera fought undefeated and highly touted prospect Andy Lee. In a fight that he was supposed to lose according to most critics, Brian Vera pulled up the upset win and TKO Andy Lee in the seventh round. Though the TKO was questionable by many, Andy Lee's face was beaten and swollen compared to Vera's face which had no bruising.[7]. However, Lee defeated Vera in a rematch with Lee winning by UD
On November 22, 2008 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on the Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi undercard, Vera was stopped and eaten by middleweight contender James Kirkland for eight gruesome rounds. Kirkland was busier than Vera and was landing the better and much more powerful punches. And in the eighth round Kirkland came out winging bodyshots ands Vera was throwing rights, Kirkland countered with punch combinations that sent Vera down for the third time of the fight. A few seconds later Kirkland was battering him in the corner and the referee jumped in to stop the fight.[8]
Just 6 Months later, he was easily outpointed for 10 roundsby the Scottish Craig McEwan. In every round, almost, McEwan would flash new stuff that mad it difficult Vera. One round it was lead lefts. Another round, it was fighting well with his back on the ropes. In another round, it was the uppercut from the outside. McEwan would trade with Vera in the 7th to give Vera a chance -- even though McEwan got the better of the exchanges. Vera was tired from all the punches McEwan landed and all the missing by the 10th.[9]
On a ESPN Friday Night Fights headliner, Vera scored a victory that helped determine his presence in the Middleweight division when he upset fellow Contender participant and former World Champion Sergio Mora with a hard-fought 10 round decision. Mora was coming off of September's disputed, split-decision draw with 39-year-old three-division, five-time titlist Shane Mosley. His superior strengths were what gave him the advantage in this bout Scores of 96-94 were all registered by all three judges.[10]
Following weeks after the fight his promoter, Lou DiBella, reported that Vera would face Lee in a rematch when Lee defeated Craig McEwan. Vera rose from a first round knockdown to defeat Lee.[11] He lost to Andy lee by via unanimous decsion.
| 19 Wins (12 knockouts, 7 decisions), 6 Losses, 0 Draws[12] | |||||||
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Type | Rd., Time | Date | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 19-6 | Andy Lee | UD | 10 | 2011-10-01 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 19-5 | Eloy Suarez | KO | 8 (8) | 2011-06-24 | Dr Pepper Arena, Frisco, Texas | |
| Win | 18-5 | Sergio Mora | SD | 10 | 2011-02-04 | Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas | |
| Loss | 17-5 | Maksym Bursak | UD | 12 | 2010-09-04 | Sportpalace Meteor, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine | WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title on the line. |
| Win | 17-4 | Sebastien Demers | TKO | 3 (10) | 2010-06-11 | Uniprix Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
| Loss | 16-4 | Isaac Rodrigues | MD | 10 | 2010-02-26 | Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York | |
| Loss | 16-3 | Craig McEwan | UD | 10 | 2009-05-08 | Sundance Square, Fort Worth, Texas | |
| Loss | 16-2 | James Kirkland | TKO | 8 (10) | 2008-11-22 | MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| Win | 16-1 | Andy Lee | TKO | 7 (10) | 2008-03-21 | Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut | |
| Win | 15-1 | Max Alexander | UD | 6 | 2007-11-06 | TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts | |
| Loss | 14-1 | Jaidon Codrington | KO | 2 (5) | 2007-09-08 | Contender Arena, Los Angeles, California, United States | Part of ESPN's reality TV show "The Contender" |
| Win | 14-0 | Max Alexander | UD | 10 | 2007-11-06 | TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts | Retained IBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight title. |
| Win | 13-0 | Samuel Miller | MD | 10 | 2007-05-11 | Buffalo Run Casino, Miami, Oklahoma | |
| Win | 12-0 | Etianne Whitaker | TKO | 3 (10) | 2006-11-04 | Coushatta Casino Resort, Kinder, Louisiana | Won vacant IBA Intercontinental Super Middleweight title. |
| Win | 11-0 | Antonio Garcia | KO | 3 (8) | 2006-08-18 | American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas | |
| Win | 10-0 | Marcus Hicks | TKO | 5 (8) | 2006-06-09 | Sundance Square, Fort Worth, Texas | Won vacant Texas Middleweight title. |
| Win | 9-0 | Antonio Garcia | UD | 8 | 2006-02-16 | Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth, Texas | |
| Win | 8-0 | Jeremiah Chapman | KO | 2 (6) | 2005-12-16 | Convention Center, Austin, Texas | |
| Win | 7-0 | Cardyl Finley | KO | 1 (8) | 2005-11-26 | Music Hall, Austin, Texas | |
| Win | 6-0 | Freeman Taft | TKO | 2 (6) | 2005-07-22 | Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada | |
| Win | 5-0 | Trenice Brown | TKO | 3 (6) | 2005-06-16 | Sundance Square, Fort Worth, Texas | |
| Win | 4-0 | Javier Diaz | UD | 4 | 2005-03-17 | Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth, Texas | |
| Win | 3-0 | Juan Jose Ruiz | TKO | 2 (4) | 2005-02-26 | Dodge Arena, Hidalgo, Texas | |
| Win | 2-0 | Bert Montez | TKO | 2 (4) | 2004-09-30 | Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas | |
| Win | 1-0 | Avien Cooper | UD | 4 | 2004-08-27 | Renaissance Worthington Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas | Brian's professional debut. |