Barry Jones vs Acelino Freitas

The WBO Junior Lightweight title fight between champion Acelino Freitas and challenger Barry Jones at the Doncaster Dome on January 15, 2000, proved to be a study in contrasts. Jones, returning after a two-year layoff due to brain scan irregularities that had stripped him of the same title he won from Wilson Palacios in 1997, authored one of boxing's most deceptive opening moments.

Despite his record of only one knockout in his 19-fight career, Jones managed to drop the undefeated Freitas with a left hook in the bout's opening seconds. However, this success was short-lived. Freitas, in his second defence, showed remarkable resilience by flooring Jones twice before the first round ended, opening cuts under both of the challenger's eyes.

The Brazilian champion's dominance was further solidified with additional knockdowns in rounds two and three. After a brief respite, Freitas scored two more knockdowns in the seventh and eighth rounds, prompting trainer Ronnie Rush to throw in the towel. The judges' unanimous decision with identical scores of 68-61 at the time of the stoppage left no doubt about Freitas' victory.

The fight, televised on ITV under Frank Warren's Sports Network promotion, marked the end of Jones' improbable comeback attempt. In the aftermath, Freitas, who improved to 24-0, immediately called out Naseem Hamed for a potential unification bout. Jones, acknowledging the gulf in power between himself and the champion, saw his record fall to 18-1-1.