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12/31/2003 Archived Entry: "New England Chatta"
New England Chatta
By J.D. Vena
Freitas, Grigorian aim for the stars
What do the names Alexis Arguello, Hector Camacho, Sr., Julio Cesar Chavez, Joey Gamache, Tony Lopez, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. have in common? Yes, with the exception of Maine’s Gamache and the gritty Tony Lopez, all are either in or are headed to Canastota. The statistical likeness is that each of the seven men has won a piece of a world jr. lightweight title, moved up in weight and won a lightweight world title. This Saturday night at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT, Brazil’s beloved Acelino “Popo” Freitas, the defending WBO and WBA jr. lightweight champion will attempt to become the 8th man to accomplish that feat when he challenges the unheralded but vastly underrated “King” Artur Grigorian for his WBO lightweight title.
Though many in the U.S. have witnessed the vaunted power of the unbeaten Freitas, whose fists have dispatched 31 of his 34 opponents inside the distance, what many have failed to notice is that Grigorian necessarily doesn’t fit the mold of a champion who is ready to surrender his title. A long time ago, you may remember when the Oscar De La Hoya won his second world title. It was the WBO lightweight title, which he won in 94. After relinquishing the title he defended 6 times, Grigorian won the vacant belt in 1996 and has defended it a whopping 17 times. Going into Saturday’s fight, he will enter the ring with an outstanding record of 36-0 with 22 KO’s.
Though he’s been a long-reigning champion, Grigorian, who was born to a poor family in Uzbekistan, will be making his American debut and if you’re unsure how good of a fighter he is, you may understand why his attitude has kept him a champion for so long. If Patriots head coach Bill Belichick were a boxing fan, you can assure that Grigorian would be his type of fighter.
“I am not worried about fighting in America or fighting on Showtime for the first time,” Grigorian said on a national conference call yesterday. “My only focus is on Acelino Freitas. Of course public perception is important to me, but thinking about Freitas this Saturday is what’s most important. I’m a lightweight champion of the world and I have to show (Freitas) I’m a real champion. I’m not thinking about fighting any one after him.”
Freitas, on the other hand is of a different mold but is just as determined as Grigorian. After making several title defenses of his WBO jr. lightweight title, Freitas tasted stardom by defeating WBA champion Joel Casamayor over 12 rounds. His name is now legendary in his native Brazil and a win Saturday will add to his national legacy. It’s been gaining popularity and recognition in the United States that has been a daunting task for the Brazilian.
“I’ve been training for three months, the last month in the United States,” told to interpreter and trainer, Oscar Suarez. “We all know (Grigorian) is a great champion and God willing, Saturday night will be another great victory for me. This fight is all about respect. After this fight, everyone will know that I am the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound.”
Perhaps the best thing Freitas has going for him this Saturday is that the 36 year old Grigorian has been inactive for nearly a year. Grigorian had an operation to repair his shoulder after his last defense, a majority decision win over Matt Zegan, incidentally, the closest Grigorian has come to a defeat since being decked by Michael Clark in ‘99.
“After the operation, the shoulder took a long time to recuperate,” admitted Grigorian. “But I promise you that I feel 100% right now.”
If Grigorian is as steady as he was prior to his last fight, Freitas promises that he is not another jr. lightweight who will fail to win a lightweight title.
“What many don’t realize is that I was fighting as a lightweight before I won the jr. lightweight title,” said Freitas. “Most of my fights were at lightweight and 15 of them were by first round knockout. I will remain jr. lightweight champion if I win Saturday night and I will decide later if I want to keep those titles or defend the lightweight championship.”
The exciting undercard includes a can’t miss IBF jr.middleweight eliminator between Uganda’s Kassim Ouma (18-1-1, 1 ND/ 12 KO’s), who now fights out of West Palm Beach, FL and former title challenger J.C. Candelo (26-5-3, 18 KO’s) of Denver. Candelo lost in his first attempt at Winky Wright’s IBF title. Also slated to appear is NABF jr. welterweight title match between the defending champion, Terrance Cauthen (24-1, 7 KO’s) and Chicago’s Jermaine Marks. Three other fights are also scheduled for Saturday night’s card. Doors open 6:30 P.M. with the first bout scheduled to kick off at 7:30. Grigorian-Freitas and Candelo-Ouma will air on Showtime at 11:00. For ticket information, contact 888-200-2882.
This Friday morning (7:00-9:00 AM/ET), undefeated Olympic Bronze-medalist Jermain Taylor (18-0, 13 KO’s) will appear on ESPN2’s morning show, Cold Pizza. Taylor of Little Rock, AK will discuss with host Kit Hoover his upcoming bout against Alex Rios (23-4-1, 18 KO's). Taylor and Rios meet next Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena as the headliner of this year’s first ESPN2 Friday Night Fights broadcast. Once beaten jr. lightweight, Nate Campbell (23-1-1, 21 KO’s) will take on one of only two men that have extended Freitas the 12-round limit, Daniel Attah 21-2-1, 8 KO’s. The two will battle for the number one spot of the IBF in the co-feature.
Tickets for ESPN2's Friday Night Fights are $45.00 and $25.00, and go on sale Friday, November 28th through Mohegan Sun's in-house Box Office, on-line through tickets.com, by calling tickets.com at 1.800.477.6849 or at any tickets.com outlet
