Bad Left Hook Fight Night: Andre Ward v. Edison Miranda

i can watch this live. this cafe where my 10 year high school reunion is happening doubles as a sports bar so chances are it’s gonna be on and i can take a break from seeing people i don’t remember and check it out.

watching replays or on demand just isn’t the same.

I already made my prediction but I will just say that Andre Ward doesn’t have what it takes to knock Edison Miranda out, which is big committed punching and a chin and guts. I respect his olympic background but he has the cautious style that Miranda will love to work his thing on. Edison Miranda KO 7!

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/16/lacy-close-jones-jr-bout/news-breaking/

It was not even mentioned on the FNF telecast last night.

Just rewatched Whitaker-McGirt on ESPN Classic. I really had a love/hate relationship with Sweet Pea and I guess I still do… he was so satified to just stand there and look at you forever if you let him. It was frustrating to watch him in the 12th round, knowing he was ahead and just flat out refusing to fight. McGirt still hit him with a few nice straight rights, though, even with all of Sweet Pea’s Matrix shit.

I’m actually interested in the undercard his time. Molina(no relation) isn’t really “stepping up” or anything, but Archuleta is no cupcake and has been in the ring with some serious comp. I am curious, at least. I don’t really know what to make of Molina in the overall picture yet.

Eight rounds

Getting it on right away. Very good, Showtime.

I think Molina does this inside 6 rounds.

Man, Archuleta looks like he has absolutely nothing on those punches. Molina needs a ton of work though. He is very hittable.

this dude’s tiny and ancient

Archuleta with a lunging left after Molina comes out winging. Molina is so much naturally bigger than Archuleta. Archuleta fires a roundhouse right. Uppercut by Molina as Archuleta gets caught in no man’s land coming in. Archuleta driven back to the ropes. Couple jabs from Archuleta. Left stings Archuleta. Archuleta with a right, and then a body shop. Nice stuff from the vet. Left by Molina ends the round nicely.

Molina 10-9

Molina just barely missed the home run shot at the end there.

Molina’s got no D

Seeing how little Archuleta has on his shots makes me think this one just can’t last very long. Farhood’s desperate plea to get Molina some rounds doesn’t seem likely.

Archuleta firing to the body, hitting him pretty easily. He’s throwing in combinations. He’s game. Molina walking into shots. Molina is UNLOADING NOW, and Archuleta goes down with about a minute left. Doesn’t look too hurt, but the fire is too much for him. Archuleta quits.

John Molina TKO-2

I mean, predictable, but bullshit.

I mean, obviously outsized and outmatched but the shit-eating grin was disgusting.

actually pretty unimpressive to me. Molina looks like a poor man’s Katsidis. Wings with decent power and as little defense as is possible.

If this fight sucks this night sucks pretty much. Please don’t suck fight.

shit I picked UD, I’m torn

Ward has got to land something early and gain some respect to keep Miranda off him. Picked a UD too

who is the ‘nnnno’ ref?

Miranda stalking Ward after Ward presses early. And there’s an accidental headbutt from Miranda that opens a cut on Ward. Ward with body work. Miranda stalking again. Left hook by Ward, mostly blocked. Ward with a right, Miranda just misses a left hook. Ward throwing to Miranda’s gloves as he holds them high. Miranda is trying too much to measure him. And Ward goes southpaw. Long left by Ward, gets a big ooh but pretty sloppy really. Left by Ward again. Miranda is throwing these long, slow right hands that just aren’t going to land.

Ward 10-9

Ward out throwing to start the round. Miranda throwing back. Nobody landing much. Ward goes southpaw again. Left hand by Ward. Thudding right from Miranda. And another right. Miranda is really coming at him with the rough house stuff. Good counter right by Ward. He’s so much faster and more technically sound than Miranda. Miranda will need a big shot. I think that much is clear. Not saying he can’t land it either.

Low blow isn’t called. Miranda is a dirty SOB.

Jab by Miranda, left hook by Ward and Miranda postures. Miranda throws another wild right. STIFF short right by Miranda, Ward fires back with a left hook! This is pretty intense. Miranda’s right is finding a home. So far Ward’s taking it OK.

Left hook by Ward again. Fun round.

Ward 10-9
Ward 20-18

I’ve never seen Miranda be this dirty this early. Usually I attribute it to frustration, tonight there was some planning prior IMO

Left hook Miranda. Ward wants to hit the body when he sees it open, which is good work. Left hook to the body by Ward. Long right Miranda, just short again. Ward misses a lunging left hook, then clinches up, using all that just to get out of the corner. Miranda trying to jab his way in now. Left hand by Ward. Nice combo with a left hook by Ward. Miranda postures some more. Miranda isn’t throwing a ton, but he’s missing badly on loaded up shots and might just tire himself out doing that. Ward with a HUGE left hand just before the bell — that one got Miranda’s attention and then some.

Ward 10-9
Ward 30-27

I think Miranda’s going to crumble by the eighth at this pace.

Ward looks good. Maybe not a totally flush right has landed, but some partial shots have and Ward seems unaffected

Miranda finds the right, or at least part of it, and Ward grabs up. Miranda is trying to cover up and counter which is about the last thing he should be trying to do against this guy. He’s just too inactive to win the fight like this. Ward is deterring him. Looked like a low shot by Ward, but Miranda doesn’t react. This is becoming pretty one-sided the last two rounds. Miranda is off balance and looks terrible in there. Just terrible.

Ward 10-9
Ward 40-36

Lead left by Ward, fighting southpaw again. Miranda is getting TORN UP in there about halfway into the round. Ward is picking him apart with ease. Miranda doesn’t look like he really wants it anymore, but then he rarely has in recent years when the fight hasn’t been easy. Another flurry from Ward, and Miranda keeps pounding his chest and then just standing there getting his ass kicked.

Ward 10-9
Ward 50-45

Ward has controlled distance beautifully this entire fight. Even on the inside he’s winning this fight. Big body shot by Ward. Miranda is losing his guts, because again as Farhood notes, the bully is being bullied. Miranda’s a shitty bully.

Right hand by Miranda does land, but Ward just comes right back. RIGHT HAND MIRANDA. Oo-fah. Ward is swelling up some. Miranda’s best round since the second, right after I crap on him.

Ward 10-9
Ward 60-54

At this point, I have Miranda winning this round, but all they can do is talk about how great Ward looks.

Ward opening back up, looking to hit the breadbasket again. NASTY headbutt from Miranda, and the referee didn’t see it. That had a thud on it. Miranda is chasing him this round. Uppercut from Miranda, and Ward stings him back with a left hook. Miranda has been much better the last two rounds; I think Ward’s gameplan is breaking just a little bit. Miranda sneaks this one out I think. Just barely.

Miranda 10-9
Ward 69-64

Miranda is getting mugged right now

Ward throwing power shots, but Miranda blocks. Left hook Ward, all gloves on that “connection.” Ward is working him over in close, putting Miranda on the ropes and beating him to the body. And there’s a left hook. And another hard body shot. Miranda’s getting mugged in the corner. This is ugly. I mean he is just all up in his shit. Miranda trying to punch his way out and it’s just not happening. Big round for Ward.

Ward 10-9
Ward 79-73

Ward continuing to win what has become a rough fight. Miranda’s still trying, but it’s not there. There’s a series of good shots, and Miranda’s rocked. He’s hurt and Ward knows it. Miranda clinches up on bad legs. Ward winging now. And Edison seems like he’s back to fine. Miranda misses badly and Ward makes him pay for it near the end of the round.

Ward 10-9
Ward 89-82

I can’t wait for the now annual Edison Miranda Friday Night Fights comeback where Joe Tessitore talks him up like he’s goddamn Rocky Marciano.

My god this guy is a one trick pony. Throw a body punch once a decade.

Ward looks like he wants the stoppage. Long right from Miranda, Ward makes it miss. Ward is definitely winning some Warrior Points tonight just because he’s been so willing to mug Miranda and test what he’s got inside, which has turned out to be nothing. Ward has — in my view — largely dominated.

Ward 10-9
Ward 99-91

Ward looked dizzy there. I didn’t see the push, but I don’t really doubt it was there.

“Beat him up, but don’t try to knock him out”

Ward looking to rip him with that straight left and he’s landing it again, which he has the whole fight when he’s gone southpaw. As a lefty he has destroyed Miranda. Farhood: “Miranda might as well put a message in the mail that he’s going to throw that right hand.”

Ward gets Miranda to walk into another left. Heading into the final round Miranda has but a prayer.

Ward 10-9
Ward 109-100

Miranda is just forgetting every punch, all he is doing now is just trying to load up right hands. Can’t blame him I guess, he has got to land a big one and he knows it

Miranda is out to throw, which is all he can do. But he’s getting grabbed up, which is very smart for Ward. Miranda has stalked the entire round, Ward has just played defense. Miranda misses a final lunging right.

Ward 10-9
Ward 119-109

Does Ward beat Pavlik? Miranda was actually able to land on Kelly.

total domination. Ward a little better than I thought, Miranda a little worse

116-112
119-109
119-109

ANDRE WARD VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION

of what? Oakland?

Well, Ward at least looked like a pro this fight for me, instead of a glorified amateur. He even overcame a little adversity, and looked loose here and there. He still lacks that killer instinct, though. He had Miranda dead to rights near the end of R9 and couldn’t commit.

I think Ward dominates Carl Froch

I think Ward would easily outbox Froch and not get hit with the bomb like Taylor did.

So does that count as a KO for picking Ward in a UD. Just wondering cause I didn’t get one for picking Dawson over Tarver in a UD

not sure about the rules for the picks

is the fight worth watching on a replay?

Andre Ward is to 168 what Chad Dawson is to 175. It’s as simple as that. And neither man will ever get the respect they deserve. Quite a shame.