Here’s another wholly unexpected ring return, at a wholly unexpected weight. You remember Edison Miranda, the explosive but at the same timeless than defensively sound and/or granite-chinned middleweight contender.
“Pantera” of Colombia gave big names Kelly Pavlik and Arthur Abraham tough fights, Abraham especially (the first time he met him), while Miranda defeated Howard Eastman and Allan Green and also shared the ring with Andre Ward and Lucian Bute.
Miranda made his mark, even if he was unable to become world champion, which was his lifelong dream. Last seen ending a four-fight losing streak with a KO win over a 0-4 opponent, this in 2014, Miranda then disappeared from view.
Tonight, quite shockingly, the 40-year-old with the 36-10(31) record will return to the ring – as a heavyweight.
Miranda has weighed in at a staggering 248 pounds for his fight with Carlouse Welch, 17-2-1(14), who he will meet in a ten-rounder in San Antonio, Colombia.
Despite once being a 160 pounder, Miranda does look quite good at 248, this judging by the available photos of him at the new poundage.
Of course, there are a bunch of questions surrounding his chances of being able to do anything as a heavyweight: how will Miranda’s chin hold up being the most obvious question.
Coming off a layoff of seven years, we have no idea what Miranda has been doing during this time. Has he been training? Has he kept himself in shape?
Miranda has been stopped four times, and he has in the past tried his hand at light-heavyweight and cruiserweight, being stopped by Tony Bellew at 175 and being defeated on points by Yunier Dorticos at cruiserweight.
Welch, born in Florida and now fighting out of Georgia, is coming off four straight stoppage wins, and he has not lost since 2018.
Welch has been in with a few recognizable names, in Epifiano Mendoza, Fulgencio Zuniga, and Evert Bravo. Welch has been stopped just once, this by Alejandro Garduno in April of 2018. Welch scaled 221 for tonight’s fight, and he is a year older than Miranda at 41.
Miranda could certainly have picked a far easier opponent to return against. Who knows what will happen in tonight’s fight? At his best, as a middleweight, Miranda was a good, strong and dangerous fighter. But that sure was a long time ago.