Kariuki Stopped By Miranda, Tupou Cruises To Victory

Report by David P. Greisman

Edison Miranda scored a fifth-round technical knockout over Kariz Kariuki in an eight-round light heavyweight bout. The time of stoppage was 2:15.

Miranda hurt Kariuki with a good left hook in the second, and then Kariuki came forward and landed a good right hand on Miranda before the bell. He wouldn’t be able to take clean shots much longer.

Kariuki hit Miranda with a good right hand in the fifth round that was followed by a counter left from Miranda that knocked Kariuki down and his mouthpiece out. Referee Alan Huggins never called time out, and so while Kariuki was waiting for his mouthpiece to go back in, Miranda ran forward and threw a right hand and Kariuki went down again but did not appear to be hurt.

Huggins ruled it a slip, and then finally called time out to get Kariuki’s mouthpiece back in. Miranda again closed in on his opponent, sending out several shots that left Kariuki staggering and forced Huggins to jump in.

Miranda, 30, of Buenaventura, Colombia, is now 35-6 (30 knockouts). Kariuki, 34, originally from Kenya but now fighting out of Tampa, Florida after spending the early parts of his career in Australia is now 24-10-2 (19 knockouts).

Also on the card Bowie Tupou who spent the first year of his career in Australia defeated Donnell Holmes by unanimous decision in a 10-round heavyweight bout. The scorecards were 96-93, 95-94, 95-94.

The first few rounds were tentative and dull. The bout picked up, though, first with trading from in close, and then with Tupou knocking Holmes down with a right hand in the seventh round. Tupou then threw another shot as Holmes was getting up from the knockdown, though the attempted foul missed.

Tupou seemed to be coasting in the 10th round with Holmes, behind on the scorecard, seeking a knockout, landing several hard punches on a retreating Tupou, but he was unable to land the killer blow.

Tupou, 29, of Los Angeles, improves to 22-1 (16 knockouts). Holmes, 38, of Ivanhoe, N.C., falls to 33-2-2 (29 knockouts).

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