Andre Ward proved he’s as tough as anyone in the 168-pound division Saturday by overpowering Edison Miranda and giving conventional wisdom a stiff left hook to the kisser.
They say the best offense is a good defense, but Ward proved it’s often the other way around in boxing as he assaulted Miranda in 12 one-sided rounds at Oakland’s Oracle Arena. Ward (19-0, 12 knockouts) was not only bigger and faster but also stronger than the feared Colombian slugger.
And that didn’t square with Ward’s image. Most thought the 2004 Olympic gold medalist might finesse his way to a lopsided decision win in this first major test of his pro career, and he did frustrate Miranda (32-4) with lateral movement as he fought both orthodox and southpaw. But many did not expect so many of Ward’s punches to be haymakers, with the left hand landing nearly at will from both stances.
Nor were Ward’s detractors convinced he could overcome adversity, yet Ward shook off a nasty cut above his left eye sustained when Miranda butted him in the first round. Ward also was hit by a dozen or so of Miranda’s vaunted right crosses and at least twice that many rabbit punches and took those in stride, too. “He never stunned me, but I could feel his power,” Ward said.
Likewise, said Miranda. “He was a lot tougher than I expected,” the loser conceded after Ward thoroughly abused him through the first five rounds and then varied his approaches over the final seven to win 11 rounds on two scorecards and eight on the third. I gave him nine, scoring it 117-111.
“I would like to have stopped him,” Ward said, “but I did what I had to do. . . .I rocked him several times and I showed him how diverse I can be.”
Best of all, Ward bullied Miranda physically and dominated the inside fighting. Ward spent much of the eighth round hugging Miranda near his corner, and it became clear that Ward was dictating that action, as he did most of the fight. Miranda kept coming forward, though.
“I had to focus each and every round,” Ward said. “I could hear people screaming my name. I just had to bring it on.”
There were 7,818 screaming his name officially, the second time in two months that Bay Area boxing has come across in a big-time way on a premium cable channel boxing program.
“That was an ass-whipping,” Showtime announcer Nick Charles said afterward, apparently to me, as he walked away from ringside and past the press area . “It was!”
It was, indeed.
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