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The controversy over their 2006
bout has subsided some, but when it comes to their competitive
fires, Edison Miranda and Arthur Abraham still believe they
have some unfinished business to resolve. On Saturday, June
21st, in the US, these two world-class fighters
will settle the score once and for all in a 166-pound special
attraction that is destined to produce fistic fireworks.
Abraham vs Miranda II headlines
a night of professional boxing presented by Seminole Warriors
Boxing and Sauerland Event. Showtime World Championship
Boxing will televise this highly-anticipated rematch beginning
at 9pm ET / PT.
“This is the match up that all
boxing fans should love and the type of fight that helps keep
this great game alive,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director
of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “Miranda and Abraham didn’t need
to take this fight, but they did, not only for their own
legacies, but to give the fans what they’ve been asking for,
and I expect that they will deliver in spectacular fashion
this June.”
Wilfried Sauerland, Abraham's
manager, agreed that the first meeting was one for the ages.
“The first fight was certainly one of the most dramatic and
exciting in recent years,” he said. “Boxing fans all over the
world have been waiting for a rematch and we're pleased that
King Arthur's US debut will be such a highlight.” And
Sauerland Event managing director Chris Meyer added: “To make
this fight possible, we asked the IBF to postpone King
Arthur's mandatory defence against Giovanni Lorenzo. After
all, Abraham versus Miranda is the fight everyone wants to
see.”
“Abraham and I have had a war
in the ring with our fists and one outside of the ring with
our words,” said Miranda. “I’ll say this, I respect Abraham
as a fighter and as a man for taking this fight, but on June
21st, I will leave nothing in the judges’ hands
like I did last time.” King Arthur holds a different view: “He
could not defeat me when I had my jaw broken twice,” the
undefeated champion said “When I am fully fit, there is no way
he can beat me. I am looking forward to the rematch.”
When Abraham defended his IBF
world middleweight title against Miranda the first time in
Germany on September 23, 2006, the two fighters lived up to
the standards set by previous 160-pound greats as they battled
tooth and nail for 12 torrid rounds. Abraham showed the heart
of a champion as he fought on despite having his jaw broken by
Miranda’s hellacious haymakers, and ‘Pantera’ showed that he
belonged on the elite level as he did everything in his power
to take the crown. The officiating from the referee placed an
unfortunate cloud of controversy over what was one of the best
fights of the year though, with Abraham emerging with his
title intact via a unanimous decision. “I have never fought
someone as dirty as Miranda,” King Arthur said. “But his low
blows and head butts could not stop me.”
Since then, the two have not
shied away from a war of words, but as Abraham defended his
title four more times (all by knockout), and Miranda jumped up
to the super middleweight class to put two impressive KO wins
in the bank, many felt that the opportunity to see these two
modern-day warriors clash again was lost. But with Miranda
and Abraham agreeing to a 166 pound “catch weight” for the
bout, one of today’s most heated rivalries will get a chance
to resume again.
A native of Yerevan, Armenia
who now makes his home in Berlin, Germany, “King” Arthur
Abraham (26-0, 21 KOs) is one of boxing’s most respected world
champions. Unbeaten in his pro career, Abraham won the IBF
middleweight title in December of 2005 with a fifth round
knockout of Kingsley Ikeke, and he has since compiled seven
successful defenses, four by knockout. In his last bout,
Abraham knocked out Elvin Ayala in the 12th round,
and on June 21st, he looks forward to making his
United States debut against his bitter nemesis, Miranda.
One of the most exciting and
popular fighters in the world today, Edison ‘Pantera’ Miranda
(30-2, 26 KOs) has thrilled fans with his exciting
performances ever since he made his United States debut in
2005. A former world middleweight title challenger, Miranda
went up to the super middleweight class in October of 2007,
and after an impressive fifth round TKO over Henry Porras, and
a devastating third round KO of David Banks, the Colombian
banger showed he is ready for the elite once again.
Site and Ticket information for
Abraham-Miranda II will be announced shortly. For more
information regarding this and other events, log on to:
www.WarriorsBoxing.com
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