HBO showcased two young prospects last weekend in Edison Miranda and Jason Litzau. The fights figured to be exciting brawls and the result was not a disappointment. Instead of one-sided affairs, the fights produced two incredible knockouts and one dramatic upset.
Edison Miranda vs. Willie Gibbs
Edison Miranda is a 25-year-old power puncher from Colombia. He suffered his first loss as a professional in his last fight against Arthur Abraham. Miranda broke Abraham’s jaw in the fourth round of that fight but couldn’t break Abraham’s will as the German gutted out a decision victory. Miranda is eyeing a rematch with Abraham and some speculated that he was overlooking the competent Willie Gibbs. Anyone doubting Miranda’s focus needed only 2:59 to see this kid was for real.
Miranda is quite the physical specimen at middleweight and Gibbs did a good job moving away from the bigger man. Late in the first round, Gibbs threw a lazy punch and was countered with a monsterous overhand right that knocked Gibbs goofy. He was doing the Zab Judah dance. Gibbs boogied to the corner where Miranda unloaded with punches while Gibbs tried to survive the round. Gibbs crumbled to the mat and was unable to answer the ten count that registered just seconds before the end of the first round. Miranda has serious power and showed it with one devastating punch.
Since this is the season of giving, I give you the gift of Miranda/Gibbs in its entirety.
Jason Litzau vs. Jose Hernandez
Litzau is an exciting 23-year-old from St. Paul, MN. He has a credible amateur background but seems more concerned about being a boxing attraction than a guy that coasts to victories. Hernandez has a decent amateur background as well. He won Nationals in 1997 but figures boxing isn’t his ticket to success. Hernandez is going to law school to prepare for his future.
Jason Litzau controlled the first round with superior movement and cleaner punching. Litzau got caught with a counter right hand with thirty seconds left in the first round that swung the momentum and the scorecards into the favor of Hernandez. Litzau regained control in the second round and dominated Hernandez for six straight rounds. He was ahead on the scorecards and had the fight won. Litzau’s corner asked him to box more as to avoid wild exchanges with Hernandez. Litzau wants to be an attraction and ignored his corne’s advice to take it easy.
Hernandez came out headhunting in the eighth round. His corner actually told him to throw the jab more and try to get back into the fight with combinations. Hernandez ignored his corner and seemed to be cocking up his counter right hand for the entire round. With Litzau’s willingness to exchange, a dramatic conclusion was nearing. Hernandez was landing the right and that only made Litzau want to fight back more. A final overhand right from Hernandez was all she wrote for Litzau as he crumbled to the mat and failed to get up for the ten count.
What the hell. I’m still in the giving mood. Here is video of Hernandez’s knockdown in the first and the knockout in the eighth.
Jose Hernandez has many options after this huge win but needs to capitalize immediately. He was outboxed the entire fight and was the benefactor of a cocky kid that thought he was invincible. Litzau, on the other hand, takes a step back. His young enough to learn from this loss and his has the warrio’s mentality to make him a star.
Other Results From The Week
– Oscar Larios surprisingly went ten rounds with 1-8 Ramon Mendez but scored the unanimous decision.
– Jessica Rakoczy, a top female boxer, earned a first round TKO of Tawnyah Freeman.
– Mike Anchondo defeated Armando Cordoba by unanimous decision.
– Middleweight Howard Eastman knocked Richard Williams out in the 12th round.
– Thomas Mashaba successfully defended his IBO Featherweight Title with a third round KO of Oscar Leon.
– Julio Cesar Chavez Jr won his welterweight bout with Christian Solano by unanimous decision.
– Joel Julio devastated Francisco Campos with a third round knockout.
– Cruiserweight contender Johnathon Banks defeated Sebastian Hill for the second time in his career. This one was finished by a knockout in the second round.
– Aaron Pryor Jr scored a second round TKO of Anthony Cannon.
– In Jin Chi regained the WBC Featherweight Title with a unanimous decision victory over Rodolfo Lopez.
– Joan Guzman defeated Antonio Davis by unanimous decision to retain his WBO Super Featherweight Title.
