On this day, we saw one of the greatest super featherweight titles fights as Acelino "Popó" Freitas and Jorge Rodrigo Barrios battled it out. Though overshadowed at the time, in the ring action was nothing short of amazing - as Freitas from Brazil, and Barrios from Argentina, reignited the soccer rivalry into a fistfight that became a spirited affair.
The tension partially came from a prior political tension that spilled over into everything else. Despite the politcal tension cooling down, the tension amongst the sporting public was still just as high as ever.
Freitas was the fighting pride of a Brazilian fighter with a reputation for knockout power. Barrios, on the other hand, was a rough character from Argentina, known for his toughness and ability to outlast and out will his opponents.
Like all good fight build-ups, we saw a good bit of trash-talking as the two exchanged words. Barrios poked fun at Freitas' nickname and personal issues including a divorce he was going through at the time, which added more interest to the fight.
The bout itself was an action-packed affair in which Barrios suffered a busted ear drum and cuts but refused to quit. He knocked down Freitas in rounds eight and eleven, showcasing his ability to hurt the champion.
The bout saw both fighters touch the canvas, but yet it was Freitas who had just a little bit too much for Barrios on this given night as one of the best rounds in modern boxing occurred in the eleventh, the twelfth saw Frietas finish the job.
It is important to note that after this fight neither fighter was ever the same. This fight took out of both fighters, who were legends on that night.
