02.05- Promoter Art Pelullo/Banner Promotions will present a sensational world championship fight card on Saturday, August 9, 2003. The main event and co-featured fight will be televised on "Showtime Championship Boxing." The site and other details will be announced soon.

MAIN EVENT - 12 ROUNDS - WBO, WBA 130-POUND WORLD TITLES
Champion ACELINO FREITAS, 33-0, 30 KOs, Salvador, Brazil, vs
Challenger JORGE RODRIGO BARRIOS, 39-1-1, 29 KOs, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Pelullo said today, "I'm very pleased to announce Acelino Freitas' next fight. Every time Acelino steps into the ring he shows that he is one of boxing's most exciting performers. He puts his heart and soul into every fight. I would like to thank Sampson Lewkowicz for handling all of the negotiations with Barrios and his promoter, Mario Arano, that made this fight possible. He did a great job, and everything went very smoothly."

Lewkowicz said, "This is the biggest fight that can be made between South Americans and will be a classic battle for national pride, like the soccer games between Brazil and Argentina. Freitas is by far the greatest fighter in Brazil, and "La Hiena" Barrios, who is also a very charasmatic person and athlete, is undoubtedly the best fighter today in Argentina."

Arano added, "I promised Barrios that I would deliver the biggest fight of his life, and I delivered."