Isaac Chilemba, from Malawi, defeated Edison Miranda by unanimous decision on Friday night in the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chilemba took the bout with scores of 97-91 and 96-92 (x2). The battle was shown on ESPN 2's Friday Night Fights.
The fight changed in the third round when an accidental headbutt induced an unsightly gash on the corner of Miranda's left eye. Blood flowed, streamed, and sprayed from the cut throughout the rest of the fight. In the fifth round, referee Robert Byrd simultaneously took a point away from both fighters for excessive rabbit punching.
In the seventh round, Chilemba took control of the contest. The power-punching Miranda had been coming forward the entire time, but was unable to mount an effective attack to complement his aggression. Meanwhile, the taller Chilemba alternated between leading with the jab and countering the veteran Columbian's punches. That seventh round is when the South African resident's strategy swung the fight for the "Golden Boy."
By the end of the fight, Chilemba's hair had been dyed red with Miranda's blood. The left side of his body and his trunks, including the Star of David on his left leg, were covered in red. Miranda, whose will is sometimes questioned, never gave up despite the unfortunate cut. But Chilemba showed a ton of grit and skill in notching this victory, the most significant of his career.
Chilemba advances his record to 19-1-1 with 9 KOs. Miranda falls to 35-7 with 30 KOs.
No comments:
Post a Comment