Miranda and Banks Fight
ESPN Friday Night Fights
Edison Miranda showed startling power as he knocked out David Banks at 1:15 of the 3rd round.
Banks, of Contender series fame (season three), won the first two rounds on Suite 101's score card by using lateral movement and making the most of his faster hands by snapping off quick two and three punch combinations then circling out of harm's way.
In round three, Banks backed to the ropes with Miranda stalking. Banks threw a lazy left hook and Miranda blasted him with a counter right high on Banks' cheek bone that left him teetering unconscious between the ropes.
Miranda burst onto the scene at middleweight with a victory over Allan Greene in March 2007, but suffered a knockout loss to Kelly Pavlik two months later. Claiming he is no longer able to make the 160 lb limit, 168 has become his new home.
Miranda's record improved to 30-2 (26) while Banks' dropped to 15-4-1 (2).
Jean Pascal Wins
In the co-feature, Jean Pascal of Canada, another 168 lb contender, defeated Omar Pittman by comfortable decision, but not without some scary moments. Pascal, whose style is reminiscent of Roy Jones, sans the talent, clearly won the first six rounds with his hand speed, delivering left hooks in every possible configuration and dropping Pittman in the second round with a well placed counter hook.
In the seventh round Pascal 21-0 (14) committed the pugilistic sin of backing straight up with his hands low and paid for it by catching a left hook from Pittman15-4-1 (8) that shook Pascal badly though he stayed on his feet. A right at the end of the eighth repeated the effect.
Behind on the cards and needing a KO, Pittman pressed Pascal but Pascal had regained his legs enough to win the last two rounds. Suite 101 scored the fight 98-92 for Pascal.
Miranda and Pascal Hype Future Fight
In the week leading up to the fight Miranda and Pascal often exchanged heated words with the obvious implication that they could fight one another in the near future. After Miranda's fight, while Pascal was being interviewed by ESPN's Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas, and Miranda leaned over the top rope above them, the two fighters threw their verbage in relentless flurries.
Kasim Howard Wins
On the undercard, heavyweight Kasim Howard 5-0 (4) knocked out Ron Laforge1-1 (1) at 1:52 of the second round. Howard is a 6'3" well conditioned athlete while Laforge was a 5'9" fat guy. What happened was what was supposed to happen.
Although Howard is obviously untested and probably could have finished the fight even sooner had he not smothered his own punches by being too close, he looks promising enough. There may be more good things from him in the future.
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