COMPUBOX ANALYSIS: FREITAS VS. RAHEEM

April 25, 2006 - by Bob Canobbio/Compubox

Former 130-lb champ Freitas, 37-1, 32 ko's, a 6-5 favorite vs. Raheem, 27-1, 16 ko's, as they meet for a vacant 135-lb title.

Freitas fought just one round last year and is 2-0 since his tenth round ko loss to Diego Corrales in August of 2004.

Using his boxing skills, Freitas was ahead on two cards through nine rounds (85-83 & 85-84) before his gas tank emptied vs. Corrales, who led 85-83 on the third card. Popo averaged 50 punches per round and landed 44% of his power shots, but couldn't drop the absorbent Chico. Freitas, who landed just 16% of his 23 jabs per round, was down in rounds eight, nine and ten before telling ref Mike Ortega he had enough after the last knockdown.

Freitas also lost a point after the ninth round knockdown for spitting his mouthpiece a second time. Team Corrales, led by trainer Joe Goosen, must have been taking notes, as this maneuver bought Chico valuable time after getting dropped by Jose Luis Castillo in their epic battle nine months later.

One year earlier, Freitas was involved in a Castillo-Corrales-like shootout with Jorge Barrios. Bleeding throughout the fight, Barrios dropped the off-balance Freitas in round eight and again in the eleventh. Barrios outlanded Freitas 140-74 in power shots, bolstered by a 45-16 edge in that department in rounds nine thru eleven. Both were down in the eleventh, as Freitas again bought valuable time using the old mouthpiece trick. He regrouped and dropped Barrios at the bell. Barrios, leaking heavily from several cuts, never recovered and was stopped :50 into the final round. Freitas averaged 50 punches per round (the lightweight avg. is 63 punches thrown per round) and landed just 21% of his 26 jabs per round. Scoring thru 11: 106-103 F; 106-104 B; 105-105.

In January of '02 Freitas decisioned the then undefeated Joel Casamayor in a 130-lb unification fight. Casamayor was down on a questionable call in round three and lost a point for hitting on the break in the sixth, the difference in the fight (114-112 Freitas 3x). As the fight progressed, the roles reversed, Freitas boxed and Casamayor stalked. Freitas averaged 54 punches per round, landing 29%. He outlanded Casamayor 186-169 total punches and 153-128 in power shots.

Last September, fighting at a more natural 135-lbs, Raheem boxed circles around the sluggish Erik Morales. He outlanded El Terible 161-85, holding Morales to single digit connects in every round. Raheem averaged 25 jabs per round among his 49 total punches per round and landed 39% of his power shots.

Fighting at featherweight, Raheem's only loss occurred in July of '04 when he was decisioned over 12 rounds by Rocky Juarez Shaky early and down in round two, Raheem regrouped and outlanded Juarez 67-38 in rounds five thru eight. He was the victim of some Texas-style homecooking in favor of Juarez, losing three points for holding. After 12 rounds, he outlanded Juarez 156-146, averaging 61 total punches per round and 31 jabs per round. Scoring: 115-109; 113-111; 114-110.

Raheem played some major defense in his knockout wins over Ablorh Sowah (KO 4) and the 35-year-old former champ Luisito Espinosa (KO 8). Sowah landed just 17 punches in four rounds, while Espinosa landed less than 20% of his total punches.

On paper this one looks like the boxer (Raheem) vs. the puncher (Freitas). We know Raheem won't be looking to slug with Freitas, who's been inactive and may look to box with Raheem in the early rounds. He's not going to win that way, so look for Freitas, who's been down six times in his career, to shake off the rust and step up his attack in the middle rounds. Raheem, who doesn't hit hard enough to hurt Freitas, weathers the storm and wins the late rounds to cop a split decision victory and a piece of a lightweight title.