Freitas KOs Oliveira In Comeback Bout

Comebacking Acelino Freitas kayoed Michael Oliveira in Uruguay on Saturday, coming back after five years away, dusting off his cobwebs, and stopping the fellow Brazilian in round nine.

Freitas (39-2 with 33 KOs) was a standout at 130 and 135, but this fight took place at junior middleweight. The 36 year old victor knocked Oliveira down in the third, and twice in the final frame as well. Oliveira drops to 17-1. Freitas brought his power with him; a nasty left hook did the damage in the third, as it sent the 22-year old Oliveira reeling into the ropes, and had the ref step in and call a knockdown. His right cross landed repeatedly and buzzed the loser. The right put the loser down in the ninth, but he hopped up, not ready to go, with 1:24 left. The ref saw enough as Freitas threw a nasty left hook; he stepped in as the beaten men fell to the floor, looking up at the lights. The TKO end came at 2:19 of the ninth.

Freitas has been spending his time in the political arena. This is a shocker added chapter to his career. He beat Joel Casamayor in 2002, in a fight in which many thought he was helped by ref Joe Cortez' kind call of a knockdown and an iffy point deduction on the Cuban. Fans were surprised when Freitas quit on his stool against Diego Corrales in 2004. He again quit on his stool in 2007, against Juan Diaz, and stepped away from the sport then. This effort goes a long way in erasing those memories.

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