Thursday, Aug. 1, 2002 | 9:27 a.m.
Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4084.
Acelino Freitas will be fighting Daniel Attah Saturday in Phoenix, but there isn't any doubt he would rather be facing Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Freitas, the World Boxing Association 130-pound champion, meets Attah, something of a questionable contender, on a Showtime card from the Dodge Theatre. While there's no betting line on that fight up in Las Vegas, there's little question that Freitas is a significant favorite.
During a conference call this week both he and his trainer, Oscar Suarez, did their best to goad Mayweather into a fight that would be held next year at 135 pounds.
"He's running from him," Suarez said of the relationship between Mayweather and Freitas, a Brazilian with a record of 31-0 and 29 knockouts.
Mayweather, the World Boxing Council champion at 135, is 28-0 and will be rematched with Jose Luis Castillo Oct. 5 in Las Vegas.
"If Floyd doesn't go up to 140 ..." Suarez mused, when asked if a Freitas vs. Mayweather fight could be made.
"Definitely," Freitas said, when asked if he wanted to fight Mayweather. "He's the 'name.' It's the fight people want to see ... and I would love to have the WBC belt."
Freitas, with Suarez translating from Portuguese, said a bout with Mayweather could be made for early 2003. Of course, Freitas also thought Mayweather lost his first fight to Castillo and that maybe he wouldn't win the rematch.
"I believe Castillo won that last fight," Freitas said. "But, obviously, Mayweather is from Las Vegas and the promotion had a lot to do with (his victory)."
For all of his desire to fight Mayweather, Freitas also says he's in no hurry to leave the junior lightweight division and that making weight isn't a major problem. Assuming he gets past Attah, a Nigerian with a record of 20-0-1 and eight KOs, a fight with International Boxing Federation champion Steve Forbes could materialize, or perhaps a rematch with Joel Casamayor.
Freitas defeated Casamayor by decision Jan. 12 at the Cox Pavilion. A rematch hasn't been discussed to date, simply because the loss devalued Casamayor's stock and the financial incentives to match them again are not there.
Freitas is pleased that Attah, like Casamayor, is a southpaw and he says that will make his task easier.
"It's perfect," Freitas said. "He's one of the best left-handers in boxing, as was Casamayor."
Suarez said "Casamayor gave Acelino a head start in preparing for Attah" and that coming off a win over a noted southpaw has only added to Freitas' confidence.
"One thing I'll say is that if Attah makes a wrong move, it will be the end of the fight," Suarez added, calling Attah "a very tricky fighter who is quick and kind of awkward."
The Freitas camp is also very aware of Attah leading with his head, as three of his previous fights -- including one last year with Ariel Nistal -- were cut short or influenced by head butts.
"That's the most dangerous thing," Suarez said. "Attah loves to come in and hit with the head."
Attah, 23, earned this fight by taking a decision over Ever Beleno last November. The draw on his ledger came against Ernest Koffi in a fight stopped in the second round and ruled a technical decision; Koffi claimed he was butted in that bout.
Attah hasn't displayed much in the way of power and hasn't had a knockout win in seven fights.
Freitas, of course, is a big hitter who won his first 29 fights by KO. But Casamayor took him the distance, as did Alfred Kotey in the fight that immediately preceded the one with the Olympic gold medalist from Cuba.
"It doesn't matter if I win by knockout or by points," Freitas claimed. "I'm making sure I win the fights."
Freitas, 26, is such a big star in his homeland that his recent wedding was nationally televised. He said he enjoys the acclaim.
"It's a great feeling to be recognized," he said. "It's very emotional."
Having pursued autographs of fighters and soccer players as a child, Freitas makes it a point to accommodate his many fans.
"I remember when I was a kid looking for an autograph," he said, "so I give (the fans) all the time in the world."
Obtaining that type of celebrity in America is among his many goals.
"I'm too young to be thinking of retiring," he said. "What I'd love is to have the same (stature) in the United States."
Which is why a fight with Mayweather may be crucial to that dream.
Jimenez, a native of Puerto Rico and a longtime resident of Las Vegas, steps in to replace David Telesco in a fight with Calzaghe that's scheduled for August 17. It's a huge -- and sudden -- opportunity for Jimenez, who is 32 years old and sports a record of 21-1.
"I have seen tapes of Jimenez and he looks real tough," Calzaghe said in quotes relayed from his publicist. "He has never been dropped or stopped in his career, which gives me that extra incentive to be the first to do it.
"This will not be an easy night's work and I want to get him out of the way and do not want a 12-round war with him. I predict it will be a short and explosive fight."
Calzaghe, generally recognized as the finest super middleweight in the world, is 33-0. His fight with Jimenez, a 1992 Olympian, will be nationally televised by Showtime.
Stewart, on the other hand, is looking for work after having a fight in Phoenix with Rodney Toney two weeks ago fall through two days before the bout. His promoter, James Pollins, has been trying to get him on a proposed Bernard Hopkins card August 24 in Philadelphia, but that endeavor seems to be in jeopardy.
"I want to get Willie in line for a title shot and I have to move him along faster," Pollins said. "I'm going to have to hook up with someone bigger than me, there's no point kidding myself."
Toward that, Pollins has met with Don King Productions matchmaker Bobby Goodman in an effort to get Stewart not only on the Hopkins card (if it happens) but in the ring with WBA champion Byron Mitchell.
Stewart's fight with Toney was scrapped, Pollins said, when the latter was arrested two days before they were scheduled to fight.
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