MEPRANUM KO?D IN TITLE BID
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 13 Jun 2010
Richie Mepranum?s bid to win the vacant WBO flyweight title was crushed by veteran Mexican Julio Cesar ?Pingo? Miranda who ended the Filipino southpaw?s dreams with a 5th round knockout at the Convention Center in Puebla, Mexico Sunday morning, Manila Time.
Well known Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran who had told us in a pre-fight conversation that while he thought the fight was 50-50 he figured the punching power of Miranda was perhaps too much for Mepranum who has no power was proven right.
Pound-for-pound king and "Fighter of the Decade" Manny Pacquiao who handles Mepranum internationally along with his adviser Michael Koncz didn't attend the fight although the WBC had earlier claimed that Pacquiao would be at ringside for both the Mepranum title shot and WBC champion Rodel Mayol's title defense next week against Omar Nino Romero. In fact Pacquiao who, according to Koncz was scheduled to arrive in Manila Sunday morning with wife Jinkee and their family failed to arrive aboard the Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles.
A telling shot to the liver in round two started Mepranum?s downfall and as Miranda continued to target the body in rounds three and four Mepranum wilted. A vicious left hook to the chin dropped Mepranum who was able to beat the count.
Miranda knew he had the game Filipino in trouble and went after him in the fifth round, catching him with another solid body shot and even though Mepranum rose to beat the count for the second time, referee Russel Mora decided to call a halt to prevent Mepranum from suffering any more punishment.
It was Miranda?s third attempt to win a world title having dropped a twelve round unanimoys decision to South Africa?s Moruti Mthalane in a clash for the vacant IBF title on November 20, 2009 after earlier losing another twelve round decision to Thai champion Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in an interim title fight on April 24, 2009.
Mepranum earned the title shot with a stunning, lopsided ten-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mexican Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez who at that time had a record of 20 knockouts in 27 wins last March 12 in Dallas, Texas. However, in the title fight against Miranda the Filipino hardly had a chance to show his counter-punching skills.
With the win the 30 year old Miranda who was coming off a 3rd round TKO over Faustino Cupul (22-2, 16 KO?s) on April 10, 2010 improved to 32-5-1 with 25 knockouts which provides an idea of his punching power while the 23 year old Mepranum drops to 22-3-1 with 5 knockouts which again proves his lack of power.
Top photo: Richie Mepranum (C) crumbles to the canvas after being hit by solid body shots by Julio Cesar Miranda who captured the vacant WBO flyweight title. (below photo).
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HG BOXING.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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