Why Cunningham vs. Adamek II NEEDS to Happen

Posted by Patrick Mullin on 03.05.2009

The possibilities for boxing lie here...


Photo by Giancula Di Caro

Perhaps no division in boxing has been as lightly regarded for its entire history as the cruiserweight division. Its inception in the late 1970's was founded on the belief that smaller heavyweights ranging from 176 to 190 pounds were at an unfair disadvantage facing the heavyweights regularly ranging in size from 220 to 230 pounds.

While all time great heavyweights such as Rocky Marciano and Joe Louis would be seen in modern terms as cruiserweights, the fact is that they were heavyweights, and great ones, and forever synonymous with that division. When the cruiserweight division was founded, the fighters were seen as too small to compete with the heavyweights, and not disciplined enough to make the light heavyweight limit. They were merely being granted a division of convenience due to their own physical limitations.

The division has seen changes over the years as well. While the current weight limit is 200 pounds, it was initially 190 pounds, and at some times ranged anywhere from 185 to 195 pounds. It was also at times officially referred to(most famously by the WBA) as the junior heavyweight division, immediately making them seem inferior to the men fighting north of their weight limit.

In a division with close to 30 years of history, there have been only two undisputed champions; Evander Holyfield and O'Neill Bell. Its been seen as a transitional division for how light heavyweights thinking of moving to compete in the heavyweight ranks would handle the added weight and larger opponents. Its never been a division with its own identity, that is, until recently.

In December 2008, IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight champion Steve "U.S.S." Cunningham and challenger Tomasz Adamek, the former WBC light heavyweight champion put on a 12 round display of guts, determination, heart, will, and skill that was arguably the fight of the year. This wasn't a test for either guy to see if an eventual move to heavyweight was in order. Nor was it a consolation prize for either man. For Cunningham this was the title he'd worked for his entire career, only to be robbed of in his first try, then making good on it in his second. For Adamek it was redemption after losing his light heavyweight belt, seeking to make history as a two division world champion in a division he has said feels more natural to him.

While the title they fought for was not an undisputed one, and the Ring Magazine championship is just as inconsequential as all other sanctioning body belts, it was the desire of the men to hold the cruiserweight title they were fighting for that made it mean something. Over twelve rounds both Cunningham and Adamek battled on even terms, neither man willing to give an inch. In the end it was three knockdowns from Adamek to Cunningham that made the difference on the scorecards over twelve grueling rounds. The judges scored 115-112, and 116-110 for Adamek, 114-112 for Cunningham to give the win to Adamek by a split decision.

All of a sudden by virtue of that bout, the cruiserweight division earned an immense amount of respect from fans and reporters seemingly overnight. It was no longer a bastardized division made for small heavyweights, cruiserweights had carved a niche of their own, with perhaps the greatest fight in the history of the division, and certainly the best since the first clash between Evander Holyfield and Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

The cruiserweights are now starting to be seen for what they really are, a fresh alternative to a lackluster heavyweight division, comparable in size to many of the great heavyweights of the past, including practically all of the heavyweight greats prior to 1965; Louis, Marciano, Patterson, Dempsey, Johnson, and a host of others. They're athletic and skilled. They can hit with power and score with speed. They aren't plodding giants with no excitement factor, or out of shape sluggers with non-existent technique. People dissatisfied with the current heavyweight division and crying for the days of the past saw a window of opportunity in the cruiserweight division, almost a gateway of sorts to the days of past heavyweight glory, all with one spectacular effort from two hungry fighters.

Adamek and Cunningham don't need a rematch because the fight was close. The majority of observers found fault with Clark Sammartino scoring the bout for Steve Cunningham and the three knockdowns Cunningham suffered seemed to take the fight out of his hands come decision time. They don't need the fight because Cunningham wants to be a champion again, there is the vacant WBO title and the champions of the WBA and WBC he could fight rather than Adamek. In fact its not even Adamek and Cunningham who really need the rematch. Both the cruiserweight division, and boxing itself need this rematch to happen.

One of boxing's main contributors to its decline in popularity is a lackluster heavyweight division with non-identifiable champions and a decreasing American presence. In the cruiserweights you have the exact appeal heavyweights of the past did. An increased interest in this division is capable of bringing the public back into the sweet science. Today's cruiserweights are more comparable to the all time great heavyweights than today's heavyweights are. Adamek and Cunningham ignited a flame that sparked interest in the curious cruiserweight division. Another fight between them, with similar fireworks, may be enough to start a fire amongst fans and get them onto the 200 pound and under bandwagon.