Unbeaten Interim WBC Latino super middleweight and UNBC middleweight champion, Michael “The Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira (14-0, 11 KOs), received his the Brazilian International Press Award’s 2010 Athlete of the Year Award last Saturday night in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The 20-year-old Oliveira, rated No. 20 by the World Boxing Council, was the leading vote-getter for the second year in a row among a group of great nominated Brazilian athletes.
“I am honored to win this prestigious award for the second time,” Oliveira said. “I’d like to thank all my fans for supporting me with their votes. I represent all of the Brazilians living back home as well as those in the United States. Brazil is always No. 1 in my heart. We take all sports, especially boxing, serious but no matter what the final results, it always ends with Samba music and partying. There’s more to Brazilian sports than just soccer. I’m only 20 and hopefully I can keep winning this award for many years to come. I loved fighting at home in Brazil my last two fights and look forward to returning there this summer for my next fight.”
Oliveira was born in Sao Paulo but he moved two weeks after birth with his family to Miami. Backed by his family promotional company, MO Productions, as well as TV Globo, Michael has returned to his roots in hopes of reestablishing boxing back to the days of Brazilian boxing icons, Hall of Famer Eder “Golden Bantam” Jofre, and more recent superstar Acelino “Popo” Freitas. Both legendary Brazilian boxers have supported Michael by attending his fights in Brazil.
TV Globo, the third-largest network in the world, committed to a two-year, six-fight commitment featuring Oliveira, whose third fight in the TV deal has been tentatively set for July once again in Sao Paulo. Plans also call for Oliveira to return to Brazil in September to headline a show in the capital of Brasilia, inside of a portable arena built by TV Globo.
“Michael’s popularity in Brazil has really taken off,” said Carlos Oliveira, who is Michael’s father and promoter under the MO Productions banner. “Brazil is going to be the center of the sporting world as the host of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. The support we’re receiving from Brazilian fans, and especially TV Globo, has opened the door here for boxing. We look forward to working with U.S. promoters who are interested in promoting shows in Brazil.”
