2008 barely began before Edison Miranda gave us its Knockout of the Year. Among all the best KOs, there were body shots that ended things abruptly and even knockouts that were punctuated with jabs; there were victims who were just cold unconscious and those who mustered some stumbling around on their knees as they tried to recover; there were finishing blows that came in the 1st round and those that came in the very last seconds of the 12th.
Miranda’s trumped them all in the month of January. That a Colombian power puncher, and Miranda in particular, would knock someone out isn’t surprising. And yet, his knockout of fellow super middleweight (168 lbs.) David Banks was unique. Miranda had showed a surprising degree of patience with Banks through nearly three rounds; it looked, even, like Miranda wanted to box Banks. Instead, he was just looking for a perfect opening. When he found it, as Banks’ left hand hung dangerously low, Miranda dropped an overhand right that sent his man sprawling between the ropes. There he stayed, hanging between the two ropes, until he somehow managed to almost get up, but he couldn’t beat the count. If ever a man could take pride in being a Knockout of the Year victim, it’s Banks, because if you see the shot he took, it’s unfathomable that, even now in December, he’s not still hanging between the ropes.
If you didn’t see all the nominees for knockout of the year, you can see them here, and check out the comments section, where others eloquently made the case for Miranda-Banks as the best of 2008. Later this evening: your candidates for Fight of the Year, followed by the award write-up tomorrow from Sean.
