Dmac
10-05-2006, 05:45 PM
Popo Freitas in shock retirement
http://img433.imageshack.us/img433/4818/1454236jp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Acelino Freitas has stunned the boxing world by quitting the ring.
The 30-year-old four-time world champion made the announcement on Tuesday night after almost 11 years as a professional.
Popo as he is known, said he wants to pursue his career as a promoter and his charity work with special projects throughout his native Brazil.
It brings to an end one of the most colourful ring careers of recent times and means the WBO featherweight title - which he regained in April - is now vacant.
Freitas retires with a 39-38(32)1-0 record and with world title wins at super-feather and lightweight.
He first shot to prominence in 1999 with a stunning first-round knockout of then WBO featherweight king, Anatoly Alexandrov.
The punch, which came just 101 seconds in, left Alexandrov unconscious for five minutes before he left the ring on a stretcher.
Freitas then went on to defend the WBO belt 10 times, out-pointing the previously-unbeaten Joe Casamayor in a 2002 classic to add the WBA title to his collection.
He defended both titles three times, including seeing off notable challenges from Juan Carlos Ramirez and Jorge Rodrigo Barrios, when he climbed off the canvas in the 11th to win, before moving up to lightweight and becoming a two-weight world champ.
Although it had made him a hero in Brazil, he was still the underdog when he went in against long-standing WBO king at 135lbs, Uzbekistan's 'King' Artur Grigorian.
Unbeaten in his previous 35 fights and making the 18th defence of his title, Grigorian was overwhelmed and although Freitas didn't quite carry the same power, his famed hand speed saw him romp home on all three cards.
Then came the fight he will be best remembered for - and the one that perhaps signalled the beginning of the end - against Diego Corrales.
Freitas was floored in the eighth, ninth and 10th rounds, the third and final knockdown leading to him telling referee Mike Ortega that he wanted 'no mas'.
He fought three more times, eventually winning the WBO title back - Corrales had vacated - with a points win over Eric Morales' conqueror, Zaheer Rahim, in April this year.
Credit - Sky Sports
http://img433.imageshack.us/img433/4818/1454236jp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Acelino Freitas has stunned the boxing world by quitting the ring.
The 30-year-old four-time world champion made the announcement on Tuesday night after almost 11 years as a professional.
Popo as he is known, said he wants to pursue his career as a promoter and his charity work with special projects throughout his native Brazil.
It brings to an end one of the most colourful ring careers of recent times and means the WBO featherweight title - which he regained in April - is now vacant.
Freitas retires with a 39-38(32)1-0 record and with world title wins at super-feather and lightweight.
He first shot to prominence in 1999 with a stunning first-round knockout of then WBO featherweight king, Anatoly Alexandrov.
The punch, which came just 101 seconds in, left Alexandrov unconscious for five minutes before he left the ring on a stretcher.
Freitas then went on to defend the WBO belt 10 times, out-pointing the previously-unbeaten Joe Casamayor in a 2002 classic to add the WBA title to his collection.
He defended both titles three times, including seeing off notable challenges from Juan Carlos Ramirez and Jorge Rodrigo Barrios, when he climbed off the canvas in the 11th to win, before moving up to lightweight and becoming a two-weight world champ.
Although it had made him a hero in Brazil, he was still the underdog when he went in against long-standing WBO king at 135lbs, Uzbekistan's 'King' Artur Grigorian.
Unbeaten in his previous 35 fights and making the 18th defence of his title, Grigorian was overwhelmed and although Freitas didn't quite carry the same power, his famed hand speed saw him romp home on all three cards.
Then came the fight he will be best remembered for - and the one that perhaps signalled the beginning of the end - against Diego Corrales.
Freitas was floored in the eighth, ninth and 10th rounds, the third and final knockdown leading to him telling referee Mike Ortega that he wanted 'no mas'.
He fought three more times, eventually winning the WBO title back - Corrales had vacated - with a points win over Eric Morales' conqueror, Zaheer Rahim, in April this year.
Credit - Sky Sports