Doghouse Decides; Acelino Freitas vs Juan Diaz
 By Benny Henderson Jr (April 28, 2007) Doghouse Boxing (Photo © HBO)
Tonight live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark 10:00 PM ET/PT a 135-Pound unification bash will take place as the WBO lightweight title holder and twelve year veteran Acelino Freitas 38-1 (32) takes on young undefeated lion and WBA title holder Juan Diaz 31-0 (15) in a highly anticipated championship showdown.
The undefeated Texan Juan Diaz has been moving up the ladder defeating all in his pathway but will take on his toughest test when he stares down the hard hitting Brazilian Acelino Freitas. Will it be out with the old and in with the new or will
wisdom over throw youth? Doghouse decides!
Coyote Duran: Don't let the development of a ridiculous WBA 'super champion' (Gag me) being crowned in the aftermath of the Juan Diaz-Acelino Freitas lightweight unification match sway you from the significance of what can possibly be a great fight. Silly alpha-baubles aside, the term 'crossroads match' really applies here. The young Diaz, complete with five defenses of his WBA strap looks to a true test in WBO titlist Freitas on Saturday night but no matter what you think of 'The Baby Bull's' level of competition in fights past, don't let Diaz' youth or median knockout percentage fool you. Freitas, since losing by TKO to Diego Corrales four fights ago, is still gun shy. This uncertainly of one's self will be his undoing and Juan Diaz will take advantage of this flaw by working the body systematically, eventually making Freitas a tired shadow of his once-fiery self. I'm looking at a unanimous decision win for Diaz over 12 heats, kids.
Alex Pierpaoli: I see Juan Diaz winning by unanimous decision. His active pressuring offense will break down Popo’s aggressive wild-swinging charges. The early going will probably see Freitas getting a lead on the cards with cautious boxing and power-punching in much the same way he mounted the early lead versus Corrales. If Diaz doesn’t get discouraged and holds up under Popo’s bombs I think the kid gets to Freitas in the later rounds, roughing him up and hammering him along the ropes often enough to earn a lop-sided win, even in the pro-Brazilian enclave of Foxwoods Casino.
Jason Petock: This is a tough bout to call in my humble opinion. On one hand, you have Juan Diaz whose relentless aggression and tireless work rate make him a hard opponent for any fighter to beat. The only plus when facing Diaz is that he's not much of a puncher, which plays into the advantage of Freitas. Then you have Acelino Freitas. He suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Diego Corrales, quitting in the 10th round in their August 2004 bout for the WBO Lightweight Title after having taken a massive beating in the process. Freitas did garner a SD victory over ‘King’ Zahir Raheem, but you have to take into consideration that Corrales loss which still has to remain in the back of his mind, along with the public's immediate disapproval, unfortunately. But if I had to choose, which I am being asked to do here, I would go with Juan Diaz by UD.
Gabriel Montoya: Acelino Freitas is a man stuck between styles. He started out as a brawler and against his better judgment became a mover first and a puncher second. After his brief retirement, it is hard to say what he will be like at this stage of career. What will his confidence be like? How rusty will he be? Will he settle down and get back to what made him so dangerous? Juan Diaz knows exactly who he is: a volume puncher with excellent technique, a willingness to stick his nose in there and the stamina to do it for all 12 rounds. This fight represents a graduation to the big time. Fights sometimes come down to who wants it more and who believes in them self more. I believe that man is Diaz who may be outgunned in the power department but is fully loaded in the brains department. I see a 12 rounder that starts tactical but with Diaz applying tons of pressure to a wilting Freitas it becomes one sided. Diaz by UD.
Rob Scott: When Acelino Freitas lost in his fight with Diego Corrales, from my vantage point, I thought Freitas was drained of some serious confidence. Going into this fight with Juan Diaz, it seems that confidence has returned. Has it truly returned in all, or does he see Diaz as a youngster that he's taking lightly? Let's face it, Diaz is as relentless as Corrales, but the firepower isn't the same. It is that power that Diaz will need to get Po-Po's attention. It is that power that will break him down. Freitas has the type of power that Diaz has never seen/felt. Bottom line, Diaz has the small automatic, but Freitas has the big bang. Diaz has to point, shoot and land that automatic often to win. For Freitas, he has to point and shoot. If he lands, Freitas will tame the 'Baby Bull'. Will he land? I think so. Freitas 10th round TKO
Anthony Cocks: The odds makers have all but declared Diaz the winner already, but the numbers don't accurately reflect how close and competitive this bout is likely to be. Diaz has been steadily improving with every fight, most notably his defense, while the general feeling is that Freitas has passed his peak. But don't be fooled by Freitas's last up performance against the slick-boxing Zahir Raheem, who presented a stylistic nightmare for the hard-hitting Brazilian. The question is will Freitas be able to tag the forward charging Diaz frequently enough to win the majority of the rounds. My gut feeling is that he will, en route to winning a close decision.
Ian Keogh: This is a pretty tough call. Freitas has been in with the better opposition but the way the Chico fight ended and the retirement makes me believe Acelino might not be too interested in being a fighter anymore. Diaz is younger, hungrier, and busier and puts his punches together in combination very well. I like Diaz by decision.
Matthew DeGonzaque: Diaz is an up and coming star in the sport, but doesn’t have a track record against respected competition. Freitas is just the tough test that Diaz has been looking for in his career. I expect Diaz to get the decision in the biggest win of his career in a back and forth fight.
Vikram Birring: At one time, Acelino Freitas was one of the most feared power punchers in boxing, mowing over his first twenty-nine opponents with unvarnished ferocity. Then, after the acquisition of Oscar Suarez to his training team, he became a methodical boxer, and his fights began to go the distance more often than not. Juan Diaz is one of the youngest champions in all of boxing, and in this fight is meeting his toughest challenge. Unlike Freitas, he lacks innate, one-punch, spectacular power, but via an assortment of punches and the ability to throw fluid combinations one after another, dishes out vicious beatings to his opponents. This should be an intriguing fight, but there is one difference: Diaz is on the rise, Freitas is on the decline, so much so he even declared retirement recently, only to rebuke and make one last run at lightweight glory. Diaz wins by decision.
Dan Horgan: Freitas does not have the explosiveness to hang with Diaz in what should be a war. I pick the younger, fresher guy. Diaz UD 12
Benny Henderson Jr.: Man, hard fight to pick in my opinion, Diaz is a strong young cat looking out to make a name for himself, Freitas has been around the block a time or two. Either way it should be a good scrap and although I am a fan of Diaz I have to go with the old dog in this go around. Late stoppage for the Brazilian!
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