By Scott Gilfoid: Fringe light heavyweight contender Tony Bellew (17-1, 11 KO’s) will be matched up against the big hitting Edison Miranda (35-7, 30 KO’s) next month on September 8th at the Alexandra Palace in Muswell Hill, London. Miranda’s career has been on the serious decline lately with four losses in his last seven fights.

Miranda, 31, has clearly seen better days. However, he can still fight and you can take away two the four recent losses, because his defeat against Isaac Chilemba was one that I thought should have been a win for Miranda. And, Miranda’s 5th round disqualification loss to Yordanis Despaigne was a joke because referee Vic Drakulich pulled the trigger on Miranda after he landed a few belt line shots that weren’t even low. That was perhaps the worst disqualification stoppage I’ve ever seen before and I felt really sorry for the paying boxing fans that had to experience that. Miranda likely would have won that fight too had the referee not jumped in and disqualified him.

Bellew, 31, is coming off of a 5th round TKO of fellow Brit Danny McIntosh last April. It was surprising to see Bellew actually slugging instead of running around the ring like he did in his two fights against Ovil McKenzie. I figured Bellew would be in the survival mode against McIntosh as soon as he tasted some of his power. However, McIntosh’s chin betrayed him and he was blown out of the fight before he could get properly warmed up.

If Bellew thinks he can slug with Miranda in the same way he did against McIntosh he’s going to be in for a big surprise because Miranda will knock Bellew could if he tries to punch with him. Bellew will taste the canvas again and again if he tries his luck against Miranda’s power. This is a different kind of fighter than the guys that Bellew has been fighting during his career. Miranda is a bigger puncher than McKenzie, and if McKenzie was able to knock Bellew down just wait and see what Miranda will do to him.

I see Bellew putting on his track shoes on September 8th and stinking up the joint something fierce by running from Miranda. Bellew will play it safe and try and get a decision rather than slugging with Miranda. After all, Bellew will be fighting in the UK, and that’s going to make it next to impossible for Miranda to get a decision without knocking Bellew down a half dozen times.