Acelino Freitas retired

www.fightnews.com

By José Elias Flores Jr. - www.ringue.net
WBO Lightweight Champion Acelino "Popó" Freitas surprised everyone here in Brazil today when he announced that he doesn't plan to keep fighting. The Brazilian, who compiled a record of 38-1, 32 KOs, has been one of the world's top fighters since the beginning of his career, in 1995. He defeated, among others, Anatoly Alexandrov, Joel Casamayor, Arthur Grigorian. In his only setback, Popo lost to Diego Corrales by TKO. He declared today that he had always planned to retire when he turned 30 (he is 31 now) and that he plans to stay in boxing as a promoter and with his social projects in Brazil. More details to follow.

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Unexpected, I thought he was fighting Julio Diaz ???

Who knows if he'll actually stay retired but still surprising

Well that sucks....I wanted him and Barrios to duke it out again

why do the good fighters always retire too early and the the john ruiz's of the world keep fighting on?????

damn there were still fights i wanted to see him

hold on. He is set to fight Julio Diaz and he just retires? Sounds a little...strange to me.

I'm not sure if a contract had been signed, don't really know, but I do know it seemed like it had been seriously discussed. But like I said, I don't know all the details or if a contract had been signed.

Sounds like something that could come back a weak later that says "Freitas dispells retirement rumors"

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Originally Posted by Majesty

Sounds like something that could come back a weak later that says "Freitas dispells retirement rumors"

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Well he announced it at a press conference, who knows he may change his mind but its not really a rumor considering he himself announced it in public.

Yea what a shame...I looked on boxrec lastweek cause I hadnt heard about him in a while and it said he had a fight in December..Oh well...Hey if he is happy and financially secure and at 31 GOOD FOR HIM...Live long and prosperous my brother... ;)

Thanks for the Good Career...

Man that sucks - my stable just got cut from two to one.

hope it isn't true.

:( out the blue and a sad loss if he is, but props to him, he had a great career, and still carries respect even though he once uttered the words 'No Mas' !

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Originally Posted by yoitsdan

:( out the blue and a sad loss if he is, but props to him, he had a great career, and still carries respect even though he once uttered the words 'No Mas' !

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Yeah, I was actually expecting there to be some negative comments about that and him being a quitter since this is now happening.. I think people give him a hard time for that against Corrales, and it isn't really fair.. I mean he was knocked down what, 3 times?? And the first KD was a pretty big shot, I don't think anyone would have criticized him if he just hadn't gotten up from that or either of the other KD's.. But since he did try and keep fighting then realized he couldn't any more, he's a quitter. Noone knows how he felt, for god's sake I feel like I could keel over and die after going for a run sometimes.. Can't be hard on the guy for giving up in the 10th after getting knocked down in three consecutive rounds when he fought his ass off until then .

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Originally Posted by p4pking

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Originally Posted by yoitsdan

:( out the blue and a sad loss if he is, but props to him, he had a great career, and still carries respect even though he once uttered the words 'No Mas' !

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Yeah, I was actually expecting there to be some negative comments about that and him being a quitter since this is now happening.. I think people give him a hard time for that against Corrales, and it isn't really fair.. I mean he was knocked down what, 3 times?? And the first KD was a pretty big shot, I don't think anyone would have criticized him if he just hadn't gotten up from that or either of the other KD's.. But since he did try and keep fighting then realized he couldn't any more, he's a quitter. Noone knows how he felt, for god's sake I feel like I could keel over and die after going for a run sometimes.. Can't be hard on the guy for giving up in the 10th after getting knocked down in three consecutive rounds when he fought his ass off until then .

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He also imo got a decision he didn't deserve against Zahir Raheem(his last fight).

But its good he retired after that performance. Rather he retire then, instead of sticking around too long.

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
come on 'Popo' >:mad you still got some fights in you.....

Sad to say if he comes back from this he won't be the same, cause once it's in your head that you no longer desire it you've automatically loose it all. Cause it's all in your mind, once your mind is set and you try to switch it back you will always question it.

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Originally Posted by CutMeMicK

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
come on 'Popo' >:mad you still got some fights in you.....

Sad to say if he comes back from this he won't be the same, cause once it's in your head that you no longer desire it you've automatically loose it all. Cause it's all in your mind, once your mind is set and you try to switch it back you will always question it.

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Foreman didn't automatically lose it. Or Holyfield..which is the sad thing..

Glad he retired.

VERY GLAD.

Freitas Barrios was one of my al-time favorite fights.

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Originally Posted by Gyrokai

Glad he retired.

VERY GLAD.

Freitas Barrios was one of my al-time favorite fights.

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thats interesting, can I ask why

Not like he's shot or anything, I mean he's taken some punishment but not excessive punishment

Blah!!!

Lets just say I identify with Popo, I think.
And "quitting" is sometimes something to look UP upon.
Even if quitting seems like a bad thing to everybody else.
Get me?






(And I'm not talking about quitting "the drink," BEER, or alchohol. heheh) :drunks:

I don't believe it! He had sooo many great potential fights left! Oh well,his choice,good luck to him in whatever he deceides to do next. What happens with the title,is it the next 2 top contenders fight for it and who are they?

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Originally Posted by El Gamo

I don't believe it! He had sooo many great potential fights left! Oh well,his choice,good luck to him in whatever he deceides to do next. What happens with the title,is it the next 2 top contenders fight for it and who are they?

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Thats the way ot goes #1 & #2 fight for the belt.
I just checked the WBO site and it's ......... Michael Katsidis 21-0 vs. Graham Earl 24-1

pretty even match up they have both fought the same quality of opposition up until this point.

I dont think his heart was in it since the Corrales fight. Some guys cant except defeat and by quitting in that fight he probably feels he has something to prove to his fans that he can no longer prove. That 1 fight unfortunate as it is hightlights his career. Much like the Mike Tyson fight did Spinks.

perhaps too early for him..
hasnt achieved that much... or anythin?
coralles was just too tough for him
too perservering for him
he knows it
thats why he quitted that fight
and honestly, he must have retired after that

When you look at fighters like RJJ, Evander Holyfield and others keep fighting and sullying their own legacies by doing it. If Freitas retires and stays retired (no combacks) then he will certainly leave some very good memories and a very good record which people can't argue with.

he accomplished plenty he's a 3 time world champion, in 2 weight classes and was a unified champion at 135 (WBO & IBF), he has beaten big names and has molded his own legacy, although imo, he hasn't quite finished the story, he was dominating Corrales until he ran out of gas and then was dropped, if he would work on his conditioning, he would flat out beat Chico, and imo he did beat Raheem and hurt him pretty bad a couple times, other than that, he just did more in an ugly and boring fight to win the WBO lightweight title, would love to see him fight on, plenty of big names out there at 135, Corrales II, Juan Diaz, Julio Diaz, Casamayor II, Chavez, J. Cotto, and now since he's moving up Barrios II. plenty of good big fights for Popo, but it's his decision and just would like to thank him for plenty of extremely nice KO's ;D

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Originally Posted by TheBESTP4P

why do the good fighters always retire too early and the the john ruiz's of the world keep fighting on?????

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Good question. Have a CC.

Repeat: Popo is too good for the game, glad he retired.

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Originally Posted by Majesty

hold on. He is set to fight Julio Diaz and he just retires? Sounds a little...strange to me.

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nothing on boxrec... They were talking but nothing ever came to fruition

Katsidis is scheduled to fight Osvaldo Lara in what was ment to be a WBO title eliminator on the 14th of this month...will this now be for the vacant WBO belt?

I've been hoping Katsidis (Rocky) would get his chance for a while now, he's got a massive punch and is a KO specialist. Whilst not as quick as some of the best lightweight fighters around he makes up for that wth pure tenacity and power. This guy is a crowd favourite in Australia for good reason...he's super fit and always turns up ready to go to war. I've been predicting for a couple of years he will get his turn and now hopefully it will come to fruition. Sit back and enjoy the way this guy hits...he's a special for the WBO crown.