Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
WBN Editor
‘Panther’ sets sights on more British bouts
Former world middleweight and super-middleweight title
challenger Edison Miranda is hoping a victory over Tony Bellew in September can
lead him to an IBF 168lb title bout with current belt holder Carl Froch.
The 31 year-old, who has lost out to Lucian Bute and Arthur
Abraham in his previous world title challenges, dismissed any attempt to take
on Bellew rival Nathan Cleverly for his WBO 175lb title with a victory at London’s Alexandra Palace in the autumn.
“The fans all over Europe have been great to me. I love that
I get to fight in front of them,” Miranda told World Boxing News.
“I want to repay them by giving them an entertaining fight
with a knockout ending that nobody will soon forget.
“Then I would like to fight again in London against Carl Froch.
He and I are very similar and we both know how to sell a fight. We both can talk the talk and we both are not
afraid to fight to the death.”
On a possible fight with Cleverly, who fought a close contest with Bellew in 2011, Miranda added: “To me, Cleverly
is not a true champion. His toughest opponent is the same man I will knock out
on September 8. He will not want to
fight me.
“I would like to face Carl Froch at a catch-weight in London
or maybe Jean Pascal would be another option, but he has been running from me
for over five years,” he explained.
Miranda will go into the fight with Bellew as the underdog
after suffering four defeats in his last nine contests, although the Colombian
does possess the kind of one-punch power that can give ‘Bomber’ problems and
keep the fans on the edge of their seats.
‘El Pantera’ also holds a first round stoppage win over British
super-middleweight champion George Groves’ latest opponent Francisco Sierra and
is still a test for anyone who harbours ambitions to move on to world-class
level.