Light heavyweight Chilemba raises profile with unanimous decision

Chilemba, a 24-year-old light heavyweight from South Africa, started slowly before dominating veteran Edison Miranda to earn a 10-round unanimous decision in his Las Vegas debut.

Judge Dave Moretti scored the fight 97-91 for Chilemba, and Al Lefkowitz and Robert Hoyle had it 96-92.

“I knew I could outbox him,” Chilemba said after the ESPN-televised fight. “He always likes to start fast and come at you with power, so I tried to keep my distance early. But after the fourth round, I could tell he was getting tired and I found my rhythm. I was really happy with the way I finished.”

Chilemba (19-1-1) took the fight on three weeks’ notice and was still suffering from a bout with the flu, but wore down Miranda (35-7). A cut over Miranda’s left eye, caused by an accidental head butt in the third round, did not help the 31-year-old Colombian.

Chilemba was landing with his jab in the third and following with smart combinations that slowed Miranda. By the seventh round, Miranda appeared to be running on fumes. He had a point deducted by referee Robert Byrd for holding and hitting the back of Chilemba’s head. With the blood flowing from the cut and his energy zapped, Miranda couldn’t rally.

“I hope a win like this over Edison Miranda will lead to bigger fights for me,” Chilemba said. “No one can say anymore that I haven’t fought a quality fighter.”

In the co-feature, super featherweight Rances Barthelemy remained unbeaten, scoring an eight-round unanimous decision over Hylon Williams Jr.

Judges C.J. Ross and Hoyle scored the fight 79-73, and Moretti had it 80-72.

Barthelemy (15-0) used an effective left jab to keep Williams at bay. Though reckless and showboating at times, Barthelemy controlled the fight and grew stronger in the later rounds, not letting Williams (15-1) get inside.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.