2004 US Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward faces his toughest challenge as a professional when he steps into the ring with the hard-hitting Edison Miranda this Saturday on Showtime. The super middleweight bout will take place in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, CA.
Andre Ward vs. Edison Miranda
Money Line: Ward -325; Miranda +250
The quality of opposition for Andre Ward is slowly increasing. His fight selection is akin to treading water in the kiddie pool. While Miranda is certainly a step up, it’s not like Ward is moving to the deep end. But at least the water wings are off. Through 18 professional fights, all victories for Ward, only one of those men has fought for a world title. Ward has shown that he can succeed in the ring fighting different styles, but that’s not too impressive when your resume is filled with rejects from The Contender’s casting call. This will be a big fight for Ward and one in which he really needs to make a statement.
Edison Miranda fights end in a knockout. The problem for Miranda is that it’s not always his opponent that goes to bed early. Miranda boasts a record of 32-3 with 28 KOs. His losses came to Kelly Pavlik once and Arthur Abraham twice. Those are the two best middleweights in the world so Miranda is no stranger to quality opposition. He is a stranger, however, to defeating quality opposition. Miranda’s biggest win to date was a decision victory of the previously unbeaten Allan Green. Miranda has the knockout power to hand Ward his first loss, but patience and an inability to take as well as he gives leaves Miranda only a puncher’s chance in this fight.
Fight Predictions
Trent: As carefully as Ward has been handled during his career, I find it hard to believe his team would put him in the ring with Miranda if they weren’t 100% confident that Ward could handle his power. Ward is clearly a better boxer than Miranda. Miranda only wins by a KO. He’s not going to outbox Ward over 12 rounds. Miranda is surely going to try for that knockout and that’s what will lead to his demise. Miranda has never been much for defense. While he’s swinging for the fences, Ward will pick him apart. Miranda won’t have the gas to make the entire fight and Ward will end things early for his hometown fans. Call it an 8th round TKO.
Corey: For me, this is classic boxer vs. slugger. Most of the boxing world stopped paying attention to Andre Ward four years ago, but now he’s finally realizing he can’t wait any longer to get his career going. Miranda is by far the biggest test of his career, and Edison needs the win desperately if he ever wants to get to the big stage again. I see this fight as being very similar to the Adamek-Banks fight from February, only Miranda is not as good as Adamek and Ward has always supposedly had more potential than Banks. I think Ward survives some scary moments, maybe even goes down, but ekes out the decision, 116-112.
Fight odds from Bodog.com.
