Fighting in his native country for the first time, Miami-based prospect Michael “The Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira had a memorable homecoming, knocking-out Junior “Dangerous” Ramos in tonight’s main event, headlining “A Gala Night of Boxing” pro-am boxing card at Espaco das Americas in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“A Gala Night of Boxing, presented by Rumble Star Promotions in association with Reunion Sports & Marketing, featured three professional fights and two amateur matches. The pro segment aired on SporTV and TV Globo International.
Oliveira (13-0, 11 KOs), the UNBC Latin Middleweight Champion, kept his undefeated record intact, knocking out the game Dominican Republic fighter Ramos (10-6, 6 KOs)in the third round.
Oliveira unloaded a powerful right that floored Ramos in the second. A six-punch combination decked Ramos in the third. He managed to beat the count but a right-left-right soon ended the fight.
“I just love to fight,” the charismatic 20-year-old Oliveira immediately remarked after his fight. “I set him up with the jab and unloaded rights. I knew I had him after the first knockdown.
“Boxing isn’t over in Brazil. I’m bringing back boxing in Brazil to show everybody that boxing is not just in the United States. My next fight will be at home – Brazil is my home.”
His father, Rumble Star Promotions president Carlos, added, “We broke the ice here. The anticipation of Michael’s first fight in Brazil was a success. He will get better and better and people in Brazil will get to know him. We will be back here soon because Rumble Star Promotions is here to stay.”
“We worked on finishing his jab,” Oliveira’s head trainer Danny Hawk (Normandy Gym in N. Miami) noted. “He waited a little too long a few times, but Ramos is strong with a big right. Speed overcame power. We still need defensive work but Michael’s only 20 and still maturing. He does like to rumble, yet, he can box, too.”
South American and Brazilian Heavyweight Champion George Arias (47-11, 33 KOs) successfully defended his South American title belt versus Argentinean challenger Emilio Ezequiel “Chiquito” Zarate (10-3-1, 5 KOs), winning every round en route to victory by 10th round disqualification.
Arias’ experience and aggressiveness overcame Zarate’s considerable height and reach advantage. Arias pressured Zarate into an inside fight from the opening bell, effectively cutting off the ring and damaging his overmatched opponent with a relentless attack. A steady firing of rights to the body and left hooks to the head forced Zarate spit-out his mouth piece six times, earning three warnings and three-point deduction, the last resulting in disqualification.
“I was defending my title and had to make an early adjustment,” the 36-year-old Arias, who is now only three career wins shy of 50, said after the fight. “He wanted to fight inside but I adjusted early and made him fight my fight – inside. I’m going for a world title and that’s why I train so hard and keep going. I won’t stop until I become world champion.”
Veteran light middleweight Edvan Dos Santos Barros (11-10-1, 8 KOs), fighting out of Boca Raton (FL) by way of Salvador, Brazil, stopped Daniel Saboia (8-3-1, 3 KOs), of Sao Paulo, in the third round. Barros broke-down Saboia using a solid body attack in the first two rounds, trapping his opponent on the ropes in the third and unloading a barrage of unanswered punches until Saboia was floored for a knockout at 1:53.
In a pair of amateur matches, 2010 World Boxing Championships Gold Medalist, Roseli Feitosa, was upset by fellow Sao Paul super middleweight Daniela Pastieli, a Brazilian National Champion, 3-0. Super welterweight David Lourenco, 2010 Youth Olympic Games Gold Medalist, edged Felipe Pereira, Bronze Medalist in the 2010 Brazilian Olympic Championships, on points, 2-1.
Brazilian boxing legends and former world champions, Eder “The Golden Bantam” Jofre and Miquel de Oliveira, were in attendance supporting Michael Oliveira. Miquel worked Michael’s corner with head trainer Danny Hawk.
