Two former super middleweight world title challengers, Edison Miranda (33-5, 29 KOs) and Allan Green (29-3, 20 KOs), return as light heavyweights Saturday in separate bouts on the Carl Froch-Glen Johnson undercard at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.
Miranda, who has come up short in title shots against middleweight Arthur Abraham and Lucian Bute at super middleweight, has also dropped contests to Andre Ward (UD 12) and Kelly Pavlik (TKO 7). Miranda was also stopped in four in a super middleweight rematch with Abraham, two years after their first contest.
The heavy handed Colombian brawler, who now works and trains out of Puerto Rico, hopes to get in the mix at light heavyweight and possibly land title shots at Bernard Hopkins or Tavoris Cloud.
“He’s a beast right now — looking unbelievable and extremely strong, ” said Miranda’s manager, Steve Benbasat. “He’s got a new trainer (Noel Carbajal) and a new attitude. He’s been blasting people in the gym. He’ll be better than ever because he realizes the dumb mistakes he’s made in the past.”
Miranda is set to face journeyman, Rayco Saunders (20-13-2, 8 KOs) Saturday night.
Green, who dropped a unanimous 10-round decision to Miranda in 2007, is coming off a TKO 8 loss to Glen Johnson as part of Showtime’s Super Eight super middleweight tournament. Prior to that, Green dropped another tournament bout in a lackluster unanimous 12-round decision to Andre Ward for the WBA super middleweight title.
Regarded as a talented, but underachieving fighter, Green will be taking on journeyman, Dhafir Smith (24-20-7, 4 KOs), who most recently upset former super middleweight titlist, Jeff Lacy.
Both bouts will be part of the non-televised portion of Froch-Johnson undercard.
