Teresa Perozzi insists that she is itching to get back into the ring to defend her IBA middleweight title against American Kali Reis in “Friday Night Fights” at Fairmont Southampton.

Perozzi had initially been scheduled to meet Reis at Berkeley Institute last weekend but the bout has been rearranged for Friday, November 21 in the hotel’s Poinciana Ballroom Theatre.

Despite her eagerness to step between the ropes, having the bout pushed back by three weeks has arguably been a godsend for Perozzi, whose preparations were thrown slightly off course by last month’s Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gonzalo.

“It was difficult to remain in the right frame of mind, especially in terms of eating right, but I still managed to train every day [at Beyond Fitness gymnasium] during the storm and hurricane,” said Perozzi, who has a record of nine wins, four draws and three defeats.

“[Allan] Rego’s boxing gym didn’t have power for a good nine days so we were training by candle light with a tennis stopwatch! I’m back in my routine now, though, and I’m feeling really good.”

Perozzi has not fought since her second successive draw against Tori Nelson, of the United States, at Berkeley Institute in February 2013, having put her career on hold after giving birth to Gabriel, her second child, in March.

Remarkably, the 40-year-old is adamant that she is ready for ten high-octane rounds against Kali, who is 12 years younger than Perozzi, but who will be making the step up from light-middleweight. “It’s a little nerve-racking because it’s been a 1½ years since my last fight but I feel ready, I feel excited,” said Perozzi, who has also been training at CrossFitBDA on Mills Creek Road.

“People have been telling me, ‘you’re 40, you’ve not been in the ring for long time, don’t you think you should have a tune-up fight?’

“I’m very determined and very focused. This has been my focus since the day I found out I was pregnant and I’m glad it’s almost here. I feel ready for ten rounds and I can’t wait for the fight.”

Perozzi, who will again have Troy Darrell, one of Bermuda’s most decorated former pugilists in her corner, said that she is concentrating on her own game plan rather than worrying about her opponent.

“I haven’t really thought about [Reis],” Perozzi said “You can’t [plan too much] because if I expect her to come one way, and then she does something else, then what?

“My trainer has seen some video of her and you just have to be ready.”

Reis, who has a record of six wins, three defeats and one draw, suffered a unanimous-decision defeat to Mikaela Lauren, of Stockholm, in her last fight in Valencia, Spain, in July.

The Rhode Islander, who goes by the moniker “KO”, also lost to Nelson, Perozzi’s previous opponent, in November 2013 in Maryland, on a unanimous decision. Featured on a mouth-watering undercard will be Nikki Bascome in his first professional bout in Bermuda against Joe Marchand-Tipping, of the Fifth Round Martial Arts in Stratford, Ontario.

Chioke Tucker, Bascome’s stablemate at Allan “Forty” Rego’s Gym, will be making his professional debut against Martello Jones, also of the Fifth Round Martial Arts.

Tickets can be purchased at the International Sports Shop, Beyond Fitness or PTIX.BM. Ringside tickets are $100, general admission is $65.