Steve Cunningham Robbed in Adamek Rematch But Should Not Retire
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Correspondent
In Tomasz Adamek versus Steve Cunningham II, boxing press had it consensus at 118-110 for Cunningham, with some experts giving Steve Cunningham every round. The highway robbery in Bethlehem at the Sands Casino is now complete. 116-112, 115-112, 113-115 a split decision for Tomasz Adamek, and the reward of a shot at Dr. Wladimir Klitschko for a share of the world heavyweight title, while Steve Cunningham loses the third of his last four bouts, an avoidable controversy.
If this was an International Boxing Federation eliminator, it was a farce. Adamek outweighed Cunningham 223 to 203, and the lighter footed Cunningham appeared to learn his mistakes with the execution of a different game plan than their previous cruiserweight matchup in 2008. Despite the weight differential, Cunningham boxed better on his feet, avoiding the pitfalls of the three knockdowns incurred in their previous encounter.
To make matters worse, Cunningham, who dominated the first six rounds with straight jabs, and did well enough in the second half of the bout to pull it out, first heard the bout announced as a draw by announcer Michael Buffer, then heard the decision of the draw taken away moments later when a mistake was announced. How a three or four point mistake was made in reading or writing one of the scorecards is anybody’s guess.
The bank robbery of Eddie Chambers by Adamek this past June 2012 at the Prudential Center in Newark, where two judges had it 116-112, while the other judge gave Chambers only one round, but attracted less attention than the Cunningham rematch. Broadcast worldwide on NBC Sports public television, the outcome could be read twice but the bout itself could not be hidden.
Taking nothing away from Adamek, who came on the second half of the bout and might have outboxed Cunningham well enough to win four or five close rounds, Adamek did not win the rematch and he knows it. Probably the public dealt better with it when the bout was announced as a draw, but a draw it was not. So it was.
On the undercard, 2008 Ukrainian Super Heavyweight Olympic Bronze Medalist Vyacheslav Glazkov, 14-0, disposed of heavyweight pretender Tor Hamer, with the gutless Hamer taking a brutal beating and not bothering to answer the bell for the fifth round. Glazkov, who is 29 years old, is a legitimate rising prospect who could challenge for a piece of the world heavyweight title at the same time as Robert Helenius of Sweden within the next 24 to 36 months. Hamer was also a decision loser in May 2010 to Kelvin Price, who was knocked out in the third round by 26-0 Deontay Wilder last weekend, another rising star to complete the best three contenders available after Wladimir Klitschko fights the Adamek bout in 2013.
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