Showtime will lift curtain on Grigorian

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003 | 10:11 a.m.

The first big fight of the new year is Jan. 3 in Connecticut when Acelino Freitas moves up a division, to lightweight, to face a man well known in Europe but largely unheralded here.

Freitas vs. Artur Grigorian at the Foxwoods resort in Mashantucket will be televised by Showtime. The 12-round fight pits a big hitter from Brazil against an established, if minor, champion from Uzbekistan.

"In my mind the fight won't go 12 rounds," Grigorian said in quotes relayed by a publicist. "Either he will be knocked out or me. That's it."

Grigorian, 36, is ready to go for broke.

"I'll step on the gas," he said. "This fight means all or nothing for my career. In case I lose, I have to end my career because of my age."

He's 36-0 with 22 knockouts, while Freitas is 34-0 with 31 KOs.

"Freitas is a very good and very strong world champion," Grigorian said. "All of his punches are hard. He tries to throw every punch with maximum power (and) he has the stamina to go 12 rounds."

Freitas is giving up his WBA title at 130 pounds to try his hand at 135. "Little by little, more and more people in the United States are recognizing me," he said of his climb in stature.

His past five fights have been in America, including his signature victory to date, against Joel Casamayor Jan. 12, 2002, in Las Vegas.

Grigorian has never fought outside of Germany and Hungary and struggled to decision wins in his two most recent fights, with Stefano Zoff and Maciej Zegan in Germany.

"I wasn't satisfied with my own performance in my last two fights," he said, adding that personal distractions -- "several of my friends owed me money" -- and injuries -- he needed shoulder surgery after the bout with Zegan -- came into play.

"I'm focused on this fight and I feel real good," Grigorian said. "There haven't been any problems. I'm not scared of anybody."