HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - Edison Miranda stopped former championship challenger Howard Eastman in the seventh round of a middleweight IBF title eliminator Friday.
Miranda landed a four-punch combination starting with a right hand, following it with a left hook, and finally landing two right uppercuts, forcing referee Brian Garry to stop the fight at 2:33 of the round.
Miranda, of Colombia, first hurt Eastman, of England, in the fifth round with a right hand behind the ear. Eastman was able to comeback and wobble Miranda in the sixth with a right hand of his own. Just when Eastman thought he was gaining the momentum, it was Miranda who came in landing the harder punches forcing Eastman into his own corner.
Miranda improved to 26-0, 23 KOs while Eastman fell to 40-4, 34 KOs.
It was Eastman's first career knockout loss. Miranda is now the mandatory challenger to IBF champion Arthur Abraham.
Three time world champion Hector "Macho" Camacho, who was to fight on the card, had to pull out of his bout against Keith Sims after straining his Achilles' heel while training.
