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Cunningham Responds To Tarver PED Positive Report
Steve Cunningham was demoralized after his August fight with Antonio Tarver, figuring that if he couldn’t beat the 46-year-old ex light heavy champ, maybe this boxing thing had to come to the end of the road.
But today, his mood is different; Monday morning, the ex Navy man, highly regarded in the sport for his cajones, as an undersized heavyweight looking to make a score against men outweighing him by 20-30 or more pounds, told me that he’s re-invigorated. Why?
Because if it plays out as the Chris Mannix/Sports Illustrated report states, and Tarver’s A and B samples tested positive for a too-high level of testosterone, synthetic testosterone, then Cunningham sees their Aug. 14 fight with different eyes.
The bout was not a barn burner, and ended in a draw. To Cunningham, it sent a rough message, that maybe after being a pro since 2000, it was time to transition away from active participation.
But this AM, “I’m doing great. I had a bad feeling after the fight, and was looking for an exit strategy out of the sport,” he told me. “Tarver was out of shape, I was in tip-top shape, but I wasn’t able to do anything (to him).”
He said he thought maybe he’d just play out the string, keep fighting, but more so purely for a title crack and the money. “Now, if we find out he took PEDs, which help power, stamina, endurance, that’s flat out cheating.”
Tarver, who turns 47 Nov. 21, has a history here; in 2012, he tested positive after his fight with Lateef Kayode. He was fined, and suspended a year, and lost a Showtime announce gig. “This has given me an extra spark,” the PA-based Cunningham, advised by Al Haymon and managed by wife Livvy, said.
Cunningham, who popped on many radars when non-boxing fans learned of the grace under fire shown by his whole family as they dealt and deal with daughters Kennedys’ heart condition, which necessitated a transplant last year, told me why he’s so heated about the PED issue. “We are already super human,” he said. Then you give PEDs to someone already super human…it can be deadly.”
Indeed; we were reminded Saturday, as we sadly periodically are, that this sport is no game. Cunningham was ringside doing TV analysis for the Prichard Colon-Terrel Williams bout. Colon took punches behind the head in a scheduled ten rounder in Virginia, and suffered a brain bleed, and had emergency brain surgery after the fight. He is not currently conscious and is in intensive care. “Illegal drugs can (help a fighter kill an opponent)! There should be such strong repercussions against Tarver” if the story plays out true and he used a PED ahead of the Cunningham fight, said Cunningham.
That fight took place in New Jersey, so I contacted the NJ commission chief, Larry Hazzard Sr, and await a reply.
I also texted an interview request to Tarver.
“Now we have to look at all Tarvers’ knockouts. He is known for knockouts, for knocking out Roy Jones. Why did he have such power? If (the story plays out as true) and he was headed to the Hall of Fame, that should be scratched. It’s a disgrace to every boxer who wants to do it right!”
Cunningham (turns 40 next July; 28-7-1 record, with 13 KOs, stopped once) said Haymon is looking into the matter, and he’s talked to a lawyer about a legal avenue for him. “Lives are on the line…it’s like assault and battery to me…look what happened this weekend!” We touched on the Colon tragedy; “I don’t assume Williams is on anything…regarding the Colon fight, Williams took it to the trenches. Colon was hit on the back of the head a few times…the referee possibly dropped the ball not having more points taken, more warnings.”
Cunningham said he got done dirty when he fought Tyson Fury a couple years ago, so he’s quite sympathetic to team Colon.
“After the Colon fight, I learned about his condition, and me and my family prayed in the hotel…we know how dangerous this sport is.” And, he reiterates, to exacerbate the danger, with the addition of an illegal aid to ones’ power and stamina, that’s criminal.
We stand with Steve Cunningham, and hope and pray and demand all powers that be do better, much frickin’ better, at keeping PEDs out of the veins of pro boxers, and out of this sport which deserves better.
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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his last three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).
Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.
In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.
The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.
Co-Feature
In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.
Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.
What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.
The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.
Also
In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).
A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, applied the exclamation point, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.
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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.
Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.
Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.
Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is Brandon Figueroa should he defeat former Inoue foe Stephen Fulton next weekend. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.
Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”
Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.
Semi-wind-up
In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.
Also
In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.
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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino
Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.
In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.
All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.
Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.
Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.
Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.
In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.
Other Bouts
Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.
Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.
Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.
A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.
Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy
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