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Saturday Night Weather Advisory
SAT April 29, ROGER GORDILLO - As I start to sit down and write this article I peruse through a few different sites to see what the weather is like outside in the boxing world. And as surely as I suspected everyone is dressed for good weather. Their talking about Floyd and Oscar, and anything else you can think of unaware of the oncoming storm. As for me I expected as much, so appropriately enough I have my hoodie on. So with out delay I get to work on my story of the storm that’s headed our way on Saturday when HBO’s Boxing After Dark series returns with Acelino “Popo” Frietas versus Zahir “Z-man” Raheem in the main event.
With both fighters having a lot to prove questions will be posed and hopefully some will be answered. Can Frietas get by his past while convincing fans to dismiss it as well? Can Zahir prove that he deserved to be here all along, that indeed his victory over Morales was no fluke? So as all the Grasshoppers are outside playing I’ll try to break it down for you and explain why this Ant is getting ready for a flash flood warning as one of these two pugilists are likely to drown come Saturday night.
Frietas has the power, speed and unorthodox style to give Raheem trouble. Remember it was a slow plodding Morales that Raheem beat and the two to three rounds Morales did win were when Erik forced him back and picked up his pace in which Raheem seemed very uncomfortable. Although controversial Frietas beat one of the slickest and best schooled boxers in the game when he outscored former World Champion and Olympian Joel Casamayor over twelve rounds. Even though Raheem is probably more naturally gifted than Joel there’s no doubt that Casamayor is the more experienced, better Boxer facing better opposition than Raheem at this point in his career. When Rocky Juarez fought Zahir, Rocky’s power forced Raheem to take a knee. So a bigger probably stronger Frietas has a chance to do some damage. Having fought five World Champions Frietas has the pro experience while Raheem has the pedigree. Let’s not forget before retiring against Corrales Frietas was giving Chico a boxing lesson. Andrew Golota almost became the Undisputed Heavyweight champion had he not been jobbed twice in two back to back matches. Golota achieved this after quitting twice as well as suffering several other mental lapses earlier in his career. So all hope is not lost for Brazil's native son.
Settling in at Lightweight Raheem says his weighty issues are behind him
as he is finally feeling to come into his own. There was a night and day difference in his fight against Morales then his previous fights since Raheem looked solid, nothing like the thin little kid from Philly that we all saw in his fight with Rocky Juarez. He threw quickly as he threw his punches with more mustard on them throwing them in succession. Throw in Don House’s Spartan like training and work out sessions and that just might be the edge in the fight. House who has all his fighters receive a diet tailored to their blood type not to mention all the other little things he does to give his fighter the upper hand is down right amazing. (Anyone interested in Bloods relation to diet can read “Eat Right for Your Blood Type” a book I read years ago) Yes I know Frietas has Oscar Suarez the prince’s old trainer but if you compare the two fighters he’s trained you’ll find an eerie coincidence both had a huge following and hype about them before losing in shocking fashion. Raheem isn’t a power puncher even though Morales face was pretty red and a little swollen from an accumulation of punches and not power. Morales has a concrete chin while Frietas sports the defined but delicate china. So it’s highly likely that his power is good enough to give Frietas problems maybe even drop him if he fires off combinations repeatedly. Zahir’s got the amateur background and has worked with some of the best trainers in boxing. I can’t tell you much about zahir’s past first hand however there are more than a few writers that will tell you how way back when I knew Raheem was the most talented fighter in the Olympics or amateurs including Mayweather. Even though most of them never spoke a word of Raheem when he toiled around on local cards or undercards, not even picking him to beat Morales let alone Juarez, It’s kind of fun how that always happens right?
Mental make up could be the deciding factor in this game as both combatants have shown the mental fortitude of a wet paper towel. Raheem who let his life almost slip away because an Olympic letdown and Frietas for his constant life and death struggles that would end with Popo shedding more tears than a theatre full of women watching Titanic.
Acelino was on a tear in the Lightweight division before he decided that his good looks and brains were worth more than his title when he waived of his fight against Diego Corrales. Hey why not? With rumors that a womanizing Popo likes the hoe-hoes (I mean Ladies) no one is going to want to talk to you if you can’t talk back or drool on them when approached. But seriously everyone always applauds Teddy atlas for wanting fights to be stopped when there lopsided or what about when a corner saves their fighter isn’t everyone always in agreement that it’s a relief that the bout was halted. So why not let the poor guy live it down already? If you ask me it takes more character and balls to say “hey you know what, there’s no way I’m going to beat you, this is stupid I might get hurt badly” and concede that your opponent is the better man. Arguello, Golota, Tyson, Tzysu, Klitschko and countless others that I’m forgetting have done it and you hear not one peep about it. But because Frietas is a pretty boy it’s ok to trash him. Shoot most people have their fingers crossed salivating at a Tzysu comeback against Mayweather, but scoff at Frietas return. So please let’s not harass Popo no mo’.
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