I don't think Suarez negatively affected Freitas in terms of wins vs loses. He couldn't have won much more than he did with limited fundamentals. I concede that he gave Freitas an ugly looking style though.
Good enough fighter but lacked heart! Casamayor was much the better fighter. I believe what happened in that fight is that Casamayor fought the reputation of Freitas instead of Freitas the fighter. At the time, Freitas was undefeated and had built a reputation of being a pulverizing puncher. Casamayor fought overly caughtious and let the fight play to close. Without the reputation, I think Casamayor would have outboxed Freitas to a comfortable decision.
Didn't Freitas shoot his mouth off back when he was unbeaten about being greater than Jofre? Hardly the first time that a fighter has said something daft I suppose, but still....what a gonk. I quite enjoyed watching him though. I haven't watched the Casamayor fight for years but I vaguely remember thinking that Casa lost it more than Freitas won it, although I didn't quibble too much over the decision. I'll definitely have to rewatch it. From memory, dicky though mine is, Casamayor seemed to hit Freitas an awful lot over the second half of the fight after starting slowly, but still never really put his foot on the pedal. Too half-arsedly one paced and without urgency, which - when added to the point deduction and sloppy knockdown - made it closer than what it should have been. Seems that Suarez had a slight knack for unwittingly diminishing unorthodox types by trying to refine/normalise them.
BUMP! Figured someone already raised the Freitas question. For anyone who knows little about him, this is the quit factor's great example. Acelino when overwhelmed can't check his emotions. I think this fight shows he lacked heart when faced with someone who is willing to go out on his shield. While I disagree with a few posts here saying he wasn't great with fundamentals or his choice of trainer, none of that matters if he aint got the will to take what he gives...and Baby B was a decent puncher, not hard. This content is protected
To his credit, his power was truly devastating at 130. But at 135, and with a change in his style, he didn't carry the same pop. Then Corrales took his heart, and the rest is history. If he was around today at 130, I'd pick him to KO fraud ass Gervonta Davis.
I do like how folks want to give Casamayor more credit for losing than Freitas credit for winning. Sometimes, people have their scorecards filled before the first round.
Okay, so you feel his moving UP didn't carry the power? Corrales did break him down. While I didn't see his next 2 fights, I did see the one before BabyBull crushed him against Zahir Raheem. Man, I've never seen a fight with so much energy that produced absolutely nothing. I think there was even a take down or two. Had to give props to Acelino for braving such a farce of a champ. side note- I guess Zahir was to Morales what Junior J was to Barerra.