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Michael Oliveira vs. Acelino
Freitas
Tentatively Set For May 19 In Rio
Team Oliveira has collectively decided to drop undefeated
WBC South American middleweight champion Michael "The
Brazilian Rocky" Oliveira down one weight class to junior
middleweight, starting with his Brazilian mega-fight against
four-time world champion Acelino "Popo" Freitas, which is
tentatively scheduled for May 19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In his Canadian debut last Saturday, fighting in the third
different county (US and Brazil) in his last three fights
-Oliveira won a unanimous eight-round decision (79-73,
77-75, 77-75 against Sergei "Baltic King" Melis (18-8, 7
KOs) in Mississauga, Ontario.
Oliveira (17-0, 12 KOs), rated No. 14 by the World Boxing
Council ("WBC"), battled the rugged Estonian in a spirited
Special Middleweight Attraction "It was a war," Michael's
father/promoter Carlos Oliveira (MO Productions) described
the Oliverira-Melis fight. "Overall, it was a very good
experience for Michael. It went back-and-forth, every round,
and Michael was a warrior. Michael has been fighting much
bigger opponents, so he'll now be dropping down to his
natural fighting weight at 154 pounds."
"My conditioning proved to be the difference," Michael spoke
about last Saturday's fight. I executed the plan but I
thought that it was going to be a much easier fight than it
was. He really surprised us. He didn't do anything that we
saw him do on tape. It was another valuable learning
experience. This fight was more important for me to fight
eight hard rounds, instead of knocking somebody out in the
first round. It proved my point that video tapes don't show
everything. He threw more lefts in his old fights and a lot
more rights against me.
"I had another fight planned and it was cancelled, so I took
this one on short notice, and had to lose 20 pounds in one
week. During the fight I felt deprived, not hydrated enough,
and my opponent made me suffer. But, I'm still 17-0."
The 21-year-old Oliveira is listed as 5' 9" but he always
gave away height, reach and weight fighting as a
middleweight. He had been a super middleweight until head
trainer Orlando Cueller joined his corner just three fights
ago. "He's not a real 160-pounder and it showed," admitted
Cueller, who is best known as Glenn Johnson's trainer. "He
weighs maybe 162-63 pounds the night of the fight, but his
opponents are in the mid-to- high 170s. Michael's been
giving away too much height and weight and from now on he'll
be fighting at a junior middleweight. The Russian came to
win and the same-day weigh in affected Michael. We had the
weigh in at 10 AM, paperwork lasted until around 1 PM, and
he didn't eat until after that.
"He had to make adjustments during the fight and did. We've
only been together 10 months. He listens and remembers what
I tell him, but it's still going to take a while for him to
get past bad habits he developed over four years. He's very
young and without any amateur background, so Michael's
experience is what he's learning in the gym. He's working on
more lateral movement, moving his head more, and keeping his
left high. He has the heart of a champion, though."
Carlos is scheduled to fly next week to Brazil to go over
final details for Michael's May 19 fight in Rio against
Freitas. "I'm looking forward to it," Michael added.
"Everybody is going to see a much better fighter against
Freitas than the other night. Making 154 won't be a problem.
I was 157 the fight before last and I'll be losing weight
under proper supervision during training camp. I'll bring my
power down to 154 and won't be fighting bigger, stronger
opponents who way up to 180 pounds in the ring.
"Freitas is an excellent, veteran fighter who is very smart
and crafty. I'll have youth and more speed and strength on
my side, but he's going to have years of experience on me.
I'm taking training seriously for this fight, as if it is my
first world title shot, and we will be training outside of
Miami without any distractions."
The 36-year-old Freitas, a living legend in Brazil, has been
retired for nearly five years. He stands 5' 6" and 135
pounds was the highest weight he fought at during his
illustrious career.
"Michael will be younger, faster, more active and bigger
than Freitas," Cueller noted. "We'll have eight solid weeks
of hard training, bringing in good sparring partners who are
similar to Freitas. We'll be preparing to fight the best
Freitas, not the one who's been retired."
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