Bellew bombs Miranda into submission

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor

Light-heavyweight claims fringe WBC belt

Tony ‘Bomber’ Bellew bludgeoned his way to a ninth round stoppage win over former two-time world title challenger Edison Miranda at Alexandra Palace in London’s Muswell Hill tonight.

The likeable Merseysider made a slow start to the contest as he attempted to counter-punch Miranda and the fight was a tight affair for the first six rounds as both fighters enjoyed success.

From the seventh onwards though, the 29 year-old took charge as Miranda began to feel the pace, with Bellew stepping up his work rate and catching ‘Pantera’ with more regularity as the fight moved into the second half.

The end came in the ninth as Bellew pushed Miranda back against the ropes and with several hammer blows culminating in a crunching body shot, the Colombian’s legs dipped, before he eventually dropped to one knee.

After getting to his feet, the non-English speaking Miranda told referee Ian John-Lewis in no uncertain terms that he did not wish to continue and the WBC International belt belonged to Bellew.

“I got the end result I wanted,” Bellew told Sky Sports Ed Robinson after the fight.

“I had to box careful. The gameplan for the first four rounds was ‘I’ve gotta make him miss’ and after those first four rounds, make him miss and make him pay.

“I stuck to the gameplan, which was a bit rough for the first four rounds as this is the style I have adapted and it’s not going to be the same every fight.

“I could see he was wilting round by round and I upped the pace, touched him with the left hook and I was always looking downstairs.

“Only A-list fighters have beat him so what does that make me now? I don’t profess to be the most talented, but I work hard and he found out how hard I work tonight. I was going through first gear for seven rounds!”

Eddie Hearn, Bellew’s promoter claimed that his man would be in line for a world title crack in 2013 and also added that his next outing could be to provide chief support to Carl Froch as he defends his IBF title against Yusaf Mack in Nottingham.