Kelson Pinto -- Fera
Nickname	Kelson “Fera” Pinto
Weight	140 Lbs.
Height	Coming Soon
DOB	11/26/76
Age	27
Birth Place	Aracaju, Brazil
Lives	Aracaju, Brazil
Began Boxing	Coming Soon
Dominant Hand	Coming Soon
Pro Record	Won 98/ Lost 4 / Drawn 0 / 60 KO’s
Born	Coming Soon
Division	Jr. Welterweight
Current Stats	Coming Soon
Manager	Coming Soon
Agent	Coming Soon
Boxing Idol	Coming Soon

Bio

When it comes to evaluating talent, you couldn’t find a better source than a multiple-division world champion like Oscar De La Hoya, who now has the opportunity to sign such talent for his company, Golden Boy Promotions. So when the junior middleweight champion talked about one of his latest signees, junior welterweight prospect Kelson Pinto, boxing insiders listen intently.

“Top Rank, which is obviously one of my competitors now that I'm in the promoting business, is raving about Miguel Cotto being the next sensation,” said De La Hoya. “Well Kelson Pinto beat Miguel Cotto
in the amateurs. So if Miguel Cotto's going to be a sensation, I have a guy who is going to be a monster in this boxing world.”

Ever since Pinto turned pro shortly after his appearance in the 2000 Olympics (where he lost to eventual Gold medallist Muhammad Abdullaev), boxing fans have been waiting to get a glimpse of the Brazilian knockout artist, who has compiled an unbeaten record of 16-0 with 15 KOs. They will get their chance this Thursday night when Pinto battles Richard Savage in the co-feature of the second installment of HBO Latino’s “Oscar De La Hoya Presents Boxeo De Oro”, from the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.

A four-time Brazilian national amateur champion, Pinto, 26, hails from a country known more for its soccer stars and beaches than for its ability to produce top-notch boxers. But with the emergence of junior lightweight champion Acelino Freitas, and now Pinto, Brazil is getting a reputation for producing devastating punchers.

Boxing since the age of seven, the Aracajo-born Pinto built an outstanding amateur slate of 94-4 with 60 KOs. Along the way he competed in 20 international tournaments, where he won one silver medal and 18 gold medals. In the 1999 pre-Olympics, Pinto won a gold medal against Cotto, the unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect who the Brazilian plans on meeting in a pro ring someday soon.

With the newspaper clippings piling up in his native country, Pinto, who is married with a daughter, turned pro in December of 2000 with a first round stoppage of Francisco Alberto Martine in Mexico. Pinto enjoyed going home early so much that he knocked out his next six opponents in the first round as well. Included in these victories was a July 2001 win over Jose Carlos Costa that earned him the Brazilian welterweight title.

Two months later, Pinto made his United States debut with, guess what, a first round knockout of Dwayne Pope in Reno, Nevada. Now 7-0 with 7 first round KOs, Pinto took on Gustavo Tapia in Las Vegas on March 16, 2002. Two knockdowns later, the 5-10 Pinto had his eighth win, but this time he had to go four rounds to get it.

In May of 2002, Pinto added two more titles to his growing trophy case when he stopped Luiz Antonio Ferreira in two rounds to win the Brazilian light welterweight title and the WBO Latin American title.

As one of the most active young fighters in the game, Pinto has not only delighted fans with his knockout punch, but has impressed insiders with his overall skills, skills he’ll need in the most competitive division in boxing. In the coming years, Pinto will not only be dealing with fellow up and comers like Cotto, Abdullaev, Ricardo Williams Jr. and Francisco Bojado, but established 140-pound veterans like Kostya Tszyu, Zab Judah, Arturo Gatti and Sharmba Mitchell.

Pinto went the ten round distance the first time in June of 2002 when he outpointed Dagoberto Najera in Anaheim, and has scored four knockout victories since then. On Thursday, he takes on one of the toughest foes of his young career when he tangles with Savage, a hard-hitting veteran with a 35-7 (22 KOs) record.

With a victory over Savage, Pinto will continue to rise in the junior welterweight division, and he will move closer to his dream of a world title. And if his promoter’s hopes for him come true, Brazil will have another boxing superstar to celebrate.

Boxing Goals

Coming Soon

Biggest Accomplishment

Coming Soon