Acelino Freitas returns August 15th

This is his first ring appearance in over three years, and second in over eight.

He retired in 2007 after literally retiring on his stool in a one-sided lightweight unification against Juan "Torito" Diaz. Nobody expected to ever again see "Popo" in the ring - much less at middleweight, five years later, taking on a young unbeaten puncher. Yet step in with Michael Oliveira he did, and exposed him thoroughly en route to a TKO9 victory.

Now, just a month before his fortieth birthday, Freitas continues his unlikely comeback at 160lbs, taking on tough Argentinian journeyman Mateo Damian Veron (who beat Jorge Sebastian Heiland, Guido Pitto, Sergio Jose Sanders x2 - and generally acquits himself well even in defeat, stopped only 5 times in 41 bouts) in a 10-round main event in Brazil. Not sure if there will be any TV coverage.

Freitas' nephew Victor Jones, currently a 22 year old lightweight with an 11-0 (6) record, will be in chief support.

 

I'm happy to see him pick up a string of middling victories at 160lbs to further cushion the stigmatized final chapter of his initial run. Quitting on his stool versus the Baby Bull left a bad taste in everyone's mouths, and given that it was his 2nd time doing something like that saw Popo branded in hindsight as some heartless pushover when that couldn't be any more untrue when viewing his career on the whole and not just focusing on two moments that weren't his finest (although both were important high-profile matches)

Veron is exactly the kind of guy he should be taking on - a real, natural middleweight but not too powerful. Worst case scenario, Freitas ekes out a decision. Best case, he stops a guy that hardly ever gets stopped (and that's with having faced natural super middles and light heavies)

This is all gravy for Acelino. I'm happy for him to regain some modicum of dignity for his legacy with this improbable late-stage MW run.

 

Freitas knocked out Veron in 3, dropping him four times.