NOT JUST ANOTHER REMATCH
Mark Staniforth, PA Sport
Sportinglife.com, UK
June 11 2008
Some rematches just have to happen, and the only surprise for anybody
fortune enough to witness one of the most ferocious world middleweight
title fights in recent years in Germany in 2006 is that this one has
taken so long.
Arthur Abraham fought eight rounds with a grotesquely swollen jaw to
overcome the then unbeaten, come-forward Edison Miranda and retain
his IBF title by unanimous decision. Miranda, who lost five points
for various infringements, cried foul.
Both fighters went their separate ways. The heavy-handed, Armenian-born
Abraham followed up with four concussive knockout victories to
establish himself as a legitimate middleweight champion on both sides
of the Atlantic.
Miranda earned a WBC title eliminator against Kelly Pavlik, which he
lost in round seven amid weight-making concerns before deciding his
future lay at the 12st limit, moving up with two early wins.
Now Abraham and Miranda are taking the second instalment of their
wild rivalry across the Atlantic to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in
Florida, where they will clash in a non-title fight on June 21.
Both feel they have points to prove after the lingering controversy
of their first contest. Unbeaten Abraham (26-0, 21KOs) believes his
victory would have been more conclusive had he not been badly hampered
by injury.
"I could not show my true potential in my first fight because of
my broken jaw," said Abraham. "I will make up for that this time
out. Miranda had better prepare himself for a tough battle.
"It is an advantage for me that I already know Miranda. I know how
I will fight against him and that is why I know how to prepare. It
gives me even more security.
"I know that I have to be more active from the first bell on. It is
also important to stay concentrated. Miranda is a guy who makes you
pay for mistakes. But I will not give him the chance to do so."
Miranda’s extraordinary story has been well-documented. He was
abandoned by his parents when he was one month old and spent his
childhood labouring in back-breaking jobs in the Colombian plantain
fields.
He held a full-time job in construction at the age of 12 and also
worked as a butcher before reaching adulthood. Beginning his boxing
career at the age of 16, Miranda made up for lost time as he clambered
quickly to the top.
He contests the result of the first fight, insisting his series of
supposed infringements, which resulted in him being deducted two
points on two separate occasions, were designed to gift the fight to
the home favourite.
Miranda told 15rounds.com: "There is far from any love lost between
us. I respect him for staying on his feet when I kept beating him up,
but he knows he was given a gift that night.
"He is no more than a baby inside a crib in Germany. He has balls
the size of a gorilla to come here and fight me.
"I never thought he would step into the ring with me again, so I
respect his courage. But courage won’t win him the fight."
Abraham’s reasons for leaving his comfort zone back home are
obvious. While America still raves prematurely about Kelly Pavlik,
the 28-year-old is keen to claim his own slice of trans-Atlantic
superstardom.
A similar outcome against Miranda will certainly enhance his bid to
rise to the top of a 12st division still searching for its natural
successor to Joe Calzaghe, who has underlined his intention to remain
at the 175lbs limit.
Mikkel Kessler, who turned down a fight against Miranda, has to claw
his way back to the top, while Britain’s Carl Froch is still looking
for the kind of defining fight to establish himself as the division’s
number one.
Abraham can steal a march on both of them against Miranda by exhibiting
the kind of explosive, hard-hitting style that is sure to prove a
big hit with American fight fans.
Abraham’s long-time coach, Ulli Wegner, said: "I expect a very
interesting fight and I am very optimistic. Arthur showed in the
first fight how big his heart is and I am sure he will prove it again
in America."
Photo: Abraham – won with swollen jaw.
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