RIO DE JANEIRO — Acelino Freitas is retired from professional boxing, but the new age of the sport and its exhibitions opens doors for him to chase his dream matches.
A former WBO and WBA super featherweight champion and two-time WBO lightweight champion with ferocious knockout power in his hands, scoring 34 knockouts in a 41-2 run as a pro, “Popó” enters the ring Saturday to face a much larger Wanderlei Silva in the main event of Spaten Fight Night 2 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The match, an eight-round
exhibition with judges scoring ring side, was made official after Vitor Belfort withdrew from a clash with “The Axe Murderer” citing concussions suffered in camp.
“We have no fear, we’re going there to rip his head off,” Freitas said with a smile on his face during a recent media day in Brazil. “[Spaten] won’t regret calling me to replace Vitor Belfort.”
Freitas has been active in boxing exhibitions in Brazil against celebrities, folding Silva’s former Chute Boxe teammate Jose Landi-Jons in one round in one of his appearances.
“I have the hands to get it done,” Freitas said of the size disadvantage. “If I were a fighter with no knockout power, with a record of 20 wins and 19 decisions, I probably wouldn’t have taken this fight because Wanderlei is 40, 50 pounds heavier. But most of my knockouts were at 130 pounds. I went 29-0 with 29 knockouts at 130 pounds. It’s not the body weight that makes you a knockout puncher.”
“Wanderlei Silva, his [Brazilian] nickname says who he is, ‘Cachorro Louco’ [Mad Dog]. After this he might become Dead Dog, which is my plan,” Freitas said. “Every time someone challenged a boxer in the ring, Logan Paul couldn’t do it against [Floyd] Mayweather. [Conor] McGregor challenged Mayweather in the ring and couldn’t do it. I’ve never felt any pressure [in boxing], and I won’t start now.”
Freitas is the face of Fight Music Show, a Brazil-based boxing promotion that has focused on celebrity matches over the past few years. Spaten has a different approach to the game, booking Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen for its first card in 2024 and now Belfort vs. Silva. “Popó” keeps the door open for maybe facing Belfort in the future should he beat Silva.
“Last time [Belfort] wanted to fight me with some gloves he invented,” Freitas said. “And then he wanted me to fight 60 pounds heavier. I was like, ‘You don’t want to fight then.’ Same thing he did with Wanderlei now. Spaten Fight Night, every time you call Vitor Belfort to fight, make sure you have a backup plan because he might chicken out again.”
From influencers and actors to now a MMA legend, “Popó” said he’s also open to facing fellow boxing stars from the past.
“I was approached for a fight with [Manny] Pacquiao in the undercard of Jake Paul but talks didn’t advance,” Freitas said. “And then I was offered Marco Antonio Barrera. I was also offered the kid that knocked out Pacquiao [Juan Manuel Marquez], but only speculation. Mayweather, when I fought Joel Casamayor [in 2002], he went to the press conference and did a big scene, called me out, and to this day I’m still waiting for him.”
“I have the dream and desire to fight these guys,” Freitas added. “I’m always ready. If [the chance] comes like this time, be sure that I’ll go there and I’ll do a nice job.”
