Popó questions Wand's technique and promises a knockout: 'The first hand that lands, it's over'

Wanderlei Silva (left) faces Acelino Popó (right) at Spaten Fight Night 2. Photo: Reproduction

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This Saturday (27), in São Paulo, Acelino Popó will star in another major boxing match. In the main fight of the second edition of Spaten Fight Night, the legend of the noble art will face Wanderlei Silva , an icon of MMA. And the excitement of the Bahian is so great that not even the fact of entering as a substitute for Vitor Belfort at the last minute diminished his confidence in the pursuit of victory.

In an exclusive interview with SUPER LUTAS , Popó, 50, asserts that once he lands a punch on the chin of "The Mad Dog," the latter will immediately succumb. However, some fans are eagerly awaiting the duel because Wand, 49, has always displayed aggression and violence throughout his career, making his mark in Pride FC. It's true that Acelino acknowledges that the Curitiba native is indeed a savage athlete, but emphasizes that there is a clear difference in boxing level, especially in technique, between them, and that this will likely define the fight.

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"(He) has aggressive hands, not technical hands. It's different when you fight a guy who's technical with his hands than when he's aggressive with his hands. You'll have to be 100% careful. You don't know what's coming, but he's always heavy-handed. The first hand he lands and swings, he's done. Absolutely," declared the boxing legend.

Interestingly, Wanderlei will be the second MMA professional that Popó faces in boxing. Previously, the Bahia native faced José Pelé Landy at Fight Music Show in 2022, needing just over a minute to knock him out. When asked if the Curitiba native would be better prepared to face him, the boxing icon was brief and to the point.

"I don't think so. Pelé came to fight me. Wanderlei prepared to fight Vitor. I think it'll make things a bit more difficult, because I have the same speed that Vitor has, but Vitor doesn't. It's like he said, that he had to change his entire training style," Popó concluded.

Spaten Fight Night 2 fight schedule

Acelino Popó Freitas vs. Wanderlei Silva (Boxing)

Lightweight (up to 61kg): Beatriz Ferreira x Maira Moneo (Boxing)

Middleweight (up to 74kg): Hebert Conceição x Yamaguchi Falcao (Boxing)

Featherweight (up to 66kg): Thiago Manchinha vs. Wanderson Barcellos (MMA)

Johnny Walker opens up about his heavyweight debut at UFC 332.