Freitas targets Pacquiao after Raheem

http://www.secondsout.com/USA/news.cfm?ccs=229&cs=19261 Freitas targets Pac-Man punchfest By Ant Evans http://www.secondsout.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/Icon/Item/freitas080102bb.jpg "When Acelino Freitas knocks out Zahir Raheem this Saturday he is right back at the top and the first fight I'll wanna make is with Manny Pacquiao," - so says Freitas's promoter Art Pelullo. Cutting an animated figure, Pelullo admits he is particularly fond of Freitas, the Brazilian power-puncher he discovered on his 1997 "Boxcino" Latin television series. "I'm very close with Acelino," he said. "I've been with him nine years, I've stayed at his house, we're business partners in Brazil together - you're not supposed to fall in love with fighters but, hey..." Banner Promotions boss Pelullo is excited because this Saturday at the Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut, Freitas has a chance to redeem himself following his August 2004 defeat to Deigo Corrales. In that fight, Freitas elected to box and move rather than use the power which he traded on for much of his double world title winning career and, almost inevitably, was cornered and stopped by 'Chico' when he ran out of gas. It was the lone defeat of an otherwise impressive career but ridiculous assertions that 'Popo' - dropped in the eighth, ninth and finally tenth rounds - somehow "quit" continue to dog him to this day. "This fight with Raheem means redemption for Acelino Freitas," his promoter said. "If he'd stayed down when Corrales dropped him in round eight no one would have said anything (derogatory) but he got up and fought and fought until he had nothing left and so instead he gets criticized. "But a win over Raheem changes everything again. He'll be right back at the top, and from there we can make fights with Pacquiao, Morales, Barrera - even Corrales again. HBO knows Popo is a huge star and this one win will take him back to the top again." But Reheem is the chronic underachiever from the 1996 US Olympic team who finally got everything so right when he humbled Erik Morales last September. He is a slick box-mover whose lone defeat in a slow burning career was a controversial points decision v Rocky Juarez. The American is a formidable assignment for anyone - especially for a fighter who could well be 'between styles' as many have suggested slugger turned awkward stylist Fretias has become. 'Popo' went 29 fights with 29 knockouts but since then five men have gone the distance with the man who at one time was the purest power-puncher in the game. Pelullo agrees that his fighter has to unleash the beast once more to give himself his best chance of victory this weekend. "This is a hard fight for Popo," Pelullo admitted. "This guy could box all the way to a decision, sure, but that's the only way he can win. He's doesn't have the power to hurt Acelino. "But Freitas could really take him apart if he goes back to the days where he was knocking everyone out. If he goes back to that, I think he can take out anyone." We will have to wait and see whether or not that includes the Pac-Man. Fretias v Raheem will be televised on HBO's Boxing After Dark series and will be for the vacant WBO belt.