Press Release: HOLLYWOOD, FL, December 31 – On January 11, 2008, Edison Miranda blasted David Banks out of the ring in the third round, a knockout recently named 2008 Knockout of the Year by ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael.  On January 14th, 2009, “Pantera” hopes to make spectacular January knockouts an annual tradition when he takes on Manuel Esparza on the latest edition of “Hard Knocks at the Hard Rock” at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.

“I’m happy to accept the award for Knockout of the Year from ESPN, and I promise that I will be in the running for the 2009 award every time I step into the ring in the New Year,” said Miranda. “They may have to name the award after me after they see all the spectacular knockout wins I have in 2009.”

Tickets for this event, which is headlined by the return of junior middleweight contender Sechew Powell and the debut of 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian Jonathan Gonzalez, are priced at $152, $102, $52, and $22, and are available now at the Hard Rock Live Box Office or TicketMaster.com.

Also in action on January 14th will be highly touted Cuban defector Stalinn Lopez in his pro debut and Star Boxing standout Yathomas Riley. Former undisputed cruiserweight champion O’Neil Bell, who was scheduled to make his heavyweight debut, has pulled out of the fight for personal reasons.

For more information regarding this and other events, log on to: www.warriorsboxing.com