By Ryan Songalia at ringside

Arthur Abraham brought the unfortunate stigma of being an undefeated European champion to the ring for the rematch with arch nemesis Edison "Pantera" Miranda. Many questions arose from their first clash two years ago in Wetzler, Germany; Was hometown judging and officiating the reason he hung onto his IBF middleweight title the first time around? Would a change in scenery bring about a change in outcome? Would memories of a broken jaw haunt Abraham's first sojourn to America?

To answer those questions, Abraham made the trans-Atlantic journey to Miranda's home arena Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL to meet Pantera at a catch-weight of 166 pounds. It took only four rounds to make his statement, that he was no paper champion.

Abraham started the fight cautiously, holding his guard high as he tried to gauge the force of Miranda's punches. Abraham gave away the first two rounds feeling his way about the ring, avoiding conflict for the most part. Miranda stalked aggressively, though without the wanton he exhibited the first time around.

Miranda continued to press forward in the second but little by little Abraham opened up with the jab and began to come out of his shell. Miranda's work to the body was the difference in the second. Abraham complained of a low blow near the end of the stanza and earned a timeout. Referee Tellis Assimenios would warn Miranda to keep his punches up.

Abraham's jab began to pay more dividends as he alternated between keeping his guard high and opened up to land the occasional flurry. Swelling materialized on the left side of Abraham's face as the result of right hands around the guard. Miranda managed to slip a few punches, but Abraham began to find the counter opportunities in the third. Miranda appeared to be momentarily hurt on a few occasions as he ate solid left hooks and counter rights.

Undeterred Miranda continued to push forward until a hard right hand dropped Miranda on the seat of his pants. Miranda arose quickly but he was clearly in distress. Miranda went down again from another right hand. One more knockdown on a less definitive punch ended the fight as the referee waved it off immediately.

For Abraham, this was a coming out party as he showed American audiences that he is not to be written off as a protected European fighter but a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight division.

Miranda, who suffers the third defeat of his career, may be finished as a contender. He falls to 30-3 (26 KO), while Abraham shines at 27-0 (22 KO).

In a disgusting show of poor sportsmanship, Alex Abraham, brother of "King Arthur", kicked the fallen Miranda when he was on the floor, nearly igniting a riot mid-ring before he was escorted out by security.

During the post-fight press conference, Abraham was asked who he would rather fight, his mandatory Raul Marquez or middleweight kingpin Kelly Pavlik. "I want to fight both in the same night," Abraham jested. When Warrior's Boxing promoter Leon Margules reminded him that he was required to fight another fighter whom he promoted, Abraham explained that he would first face Marquez, then try to put all of the belts together with Pavlik.

To Miranda, the man who had promised to re-break his jaw, Abraham had one final piece of advice. "Your body looks very good. You should become a swimsuit model."

Sources close to the situation say that Raul Marquez and Arthur Abraham will likely clash in Germany on October 4.

Raul Marquez turns back the clock, out-fights Lorenzo

During the build-up to this fight, Raul Marquez reminded Giovanni Lorenzo that it was "El Diamante" who had all of the experience on his side. Marquez's talk was more than just boxing jargon as he took Lorenzo to school over 12 rounds, securing a unanimous decision victory and resurrecting his once dead career while earning the IBF mandatory spot to challenge Arthur Abraham for his portion of the middleweight championship.

In the first round Marquez tried to assert his right jab, sticking it as if to say, "I'm no Archak and you aren't Vargas." Answering the call was Lorenzo with right hands, thrown straighter and with more accuracy than he had shown in previous fights.

Lorenzo would win the first two rounds on the strength of his superior strength and counterpunching.

"You come out to kill or he's gonna kill you," Marquez's corner told the former 1992 Olympic silver medalist.

Marquez promptly decided to make it a war in the third round, backing Lorenzo to the ropes before in an attempt to rattle the undefeated Dominican who currently resides in Washington Heights, New York.

Lorenzo remained poised, tying up whenever Marquez tried to make it rough and countering effectively with body punches and right crosses. Marquez was not ready to lay down, even though at 36, he was nine years older than the 27-year-old Lorenzo. Marquez came out with a fury in the fourth, backing Lorenzo to the ropes and landing effectively with left hands. It was becoming rougher than Lorenzo wanted it to be at that point.

Marquez continued to follow Lorenzo around, not effectively cutting the ring off. Marquez exhibited his Latino machismo by daring his opponent to stand and trade. The mind games were paying dividends for Marquez as he continued to take control of the momentum. Through six, Marquez's experience was the difference. Lorenzo had no answer for Marquez's southpaw 1-2-3s.

Lorenzo tried to reassert his jab in the seventh, slowing the tide of Marquez's march and trying to steady the ship a little. Lorenzo capitalized on his newfound confidence in the seventh by making an impression with his right crosses. Still, it was Marquez controlling the action by backing Lorenzo to the ropes and stunning Lorenzo with a 1-2 on the ropes. Lorenzo would make his final statement by rocking Marquez in the same stanza with his own right but it was one and done for the Main Events fighter.

Whenever the two traded, Marquez's superior skill would give him the edge. Though clearly trying to rise to the challenge, Lorenzo found himself outgunned in a competitive ninth. No stranger to blood, Marquez was not affected by a nick above his left eye. The second cut above his right eye would not be as benign as it clearly had an effect on him in the tenth.

What would have been a clear won round by Lorenzo became an even 9-9 as the referee made a poor judgment in deducting a point for headbutts from the Dominican fighter. The two ended the round by trading after the bell.

Sensing the urgency Lorenzo went for the dramatic knockout, but Marquez was not going to play the role of old fighter. He ended the 11th with a resonating right hook that left Lorenzo's left eye swollen shut.

Though it was Lorenzo who needed the knockout, it was Marquez who seemed to want it more. The starch and desire seemed to be drained from Lorenzo as his once spirited crosses were reduced to defensive measuring. Marquez ended the fight with more vitality, winning the final round and securing an 8 rounds to 4 advantage, with the point deduction in his favor, in this ringside observer's opinion.

All three judges had the fight in favor of Marquez, 114-113 identically, capping off what might be 2008's Comeback of the Year.

At least it is from this second row seat.

Marquez raises his record to 41-3-1 (29 KO), while Lorenzo suffers his first defeat and moves to 26-1 (18 KO).

Paredes Lays Whooping on Cuevas

The hard fights for West Palm Beach's Maximino Cuevas have caught up to him, as he fell to the unforgiving hands of Ed Paredes. Trainer Lou Martinez mercifully ended the fight after the second round as Cuevas' head was repeatedly rocked by right hands and left hooks.

Cayo Too Much To Handle for Cuello

Dominican Republic junior welterweight Victor Manuel Cayo turned in a solid 6 round decision over Harrison Cuello. Cayo shined in his American-debut by landing the cleaner effective combinations on the man who upset Edgar Santana last year. Cayo is now 16-0 (11 KO).

Elijah McCall wins Pro Debut in 1

Oliver McCall's pride and joy, son Elijah made his father proud with a first round demolition of winless Darion Moss, needing only 2:24 to get the job done. McCall, of Bassett, Virginia, will be campaigning as a heavyweight.

Braekhus Shuts Out Woods in Six

In women's action, Sauerland's First Lady Cecilia Braekhus from Norway by way of Colombia, moved her undefeated mark to 8-0 (2 KO) with a virtual shutout of Georgia-native Nicole Woods, now 4-3.

Woods' tendency to drop her left hand when throwing the right cross was a detriment in the first round. Braekhus took advantage time and again, getting to the mark first with counter right hands whenever the two exchanged.

The third round saw both ladies hurt, first Braekhus on the wrong end of a right, then Woods, who finally reaped the detriments of ducking her head while advancing from an uppercut. The defensive holes of Woods continued to haunt her through the fourth, as she continued to eat straight rights at the fault of her lazy left hand.

The pattern would persist with the Braekhus right hand continuing to befuddle the Georgia-native Woods. Scores were all in favor for Braekhus, two had it 60-54, and the third had it 59-55.

Any questions or comments? Send them to me at mc_rson@yahoo.com