Miranda vs. Sierra on October 22nd – News

By Jim Dower: Super middleweight contender Edison Miranda (32-4, 28 KO’s) will be facing Francisco Sierra (20-2, 19 KO’s) on October 22nd for the World Boxing Organization NABO super middleweight title at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, in Lemoore, California. Miranda recently joined Goosen Tudor and will be fighting and training with them in Van Nuys, California.

It’s a move that could pay off for Miranda, whose boxing career is reeling after losses to Kelly Pavlik, Arthur Abraham (twice) and most recently to Andre Ward.

Losses aside, Miranda still remains ranked high in the super middleweight division despite Miranda’s recent one-sided loss to Ward. Miranda is currently straddling two divisions, able to fight as a super middleweight or a light heavyweight. However, Miranda has found his best success while fighting in the middleweight division where his big power makes him lethal.

Miranda has a tough time making the 160 weight limit now, which is why he’s moved up in weight to the super middleweight division. At super middleweight, Miranda is faced with few chances to win a title because the division is stacked with talented fighters like Ward, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, Carl Froch, Lucian Bute, Allan Green and many more besides them.

Miranda, because of his big power and exciting fighting style, will likely get future shots at one of the champions but because of his limited boxing skills, he’ll have problems. At 5’11”, Miranda is probably too small compete against the better light heavyweights like Chad Dawson. Miranda could knock off one of the other champions like Jean Pascal, but it would be a tough fight for Miranda because of Pascal’s fast hands.

The best option for Miranda would be for his management team to somehow melt him down to middleweight again and see if he can compete against the now weakened division. With former middleweight champions Jermain Taylor and Arthur Abraham recently moving up to the super middleweight division, it’s left a void for a fighter like Miranda to move in and possibly win a title or two.

Kelly Pavlik is considered to be the best fighter in the division, and he’s flawed and limited. Miranda could possibly beat Pavlik if he leans how to box better with his new trainer Joe Goosen. Miranda has reportedly shown a lot of improvement in the three months that he’s been training with Goosen and they’ve changed his fighting style.

If Miranda can box a little bit more, he could be good enough to win a title, but I can’t see it happening at super middleweight or light heavyweight, though. He’ll need to move back down to middleweight for him to have any kind of chance to win a title.

Sierra, 21, has twice previously been defeated by Rigoberto Alvarez. Most of Sierra’s opponents on his resume have been 2nd tier fighters. He’ll obviously be taking a huge step up in competition in facing the 28-year-old Miranda on October 22nd. Unless Miranda comes in badly weight drained or suddenly goes downhill as a fighter, he should be able to win this fight without too many problems.

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