Below are quotes from various publication etc. that have featured the Cunningham vs. Adamek

FIGHT OF THE YEAR: You think I'm going to say Pacquiao-De La Hoya, but you need both guys throwing punches to constitute a fight. My pick is Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham for the IBF cruiserweight title that very few people saw. I saw it live at the Prudential Center in Newark, a place typically reserved for pro hockey. It was a sparse crowd of just over 5,000 and they were treated to a rousing display of courage and guts. Adamek had Cunningham on the canvas three times in the fight, and twice he had him down and hurt. But Cunningham kept bouncing back up and firing at Adamek, who has a granite chin. It was a back and forth fight that saw Adamek squeeze out a 12-round split decision. How either man stayed upright for 12 rounds is beyond me.

Fight of the year: Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham. Jersey City's Adamek dropped Philadelphia's Cunningham three times during an epic cruiserweight contest that Adamek won by split decision Dec. 11 in Newark.

Runners-up: Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez III; Margarito-Miguel Cotto.

Fight of the Year: Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham (This was not the most hyped fight of the year, the most watched fight of the year, the biggest money fight of the year, or even the fight whose resolution made me happiest. I admit, I thought Cunningham won by two points. Yet this was an amazing fight, for a legitimate world championship, broadcast on free cable. Both men fought to win from beginning to end, with Cunningham skilled and busy and Adamek patient and powerful. I'd honestly rather see these guys fight a second time than any other pair I saw fight this year. Even more than Vazquez-Marquez IV!)

Fight of the Month: Steve Cunningham-Tomasz Adamek

Already selected as BoxingScene's best Cruiserweight Fight of the Year, this classic battle was easily the top brawl of the December and a leading candidate for Fight of the Year. As described after the fight here at BoxingScene

"a thrilling bout that no doubt takes its place among 2008's Fight of the Year contenders."

"This is a fight that has rematch written all over it. There's not a better opponent for either guy"

Tim Smith - New York Daily News - wrote

"The Daily News scored it a draw (113-113). There was enough action to make the match a "Fight of the Year" candidate."

George Willis - New York Post - wrote:

"It had been 60 years since Newark hosted a world championship fight. Last night, Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek made it worth the wait."

"The Post saw Cunningham a 113-112 winner."

Tim Donaldson's Live Fight Report - www.pound4pound.com - wrote:

"Pound4Pound scored the fight 114-112 for Cunningham"

Ken Hissner - www.doghouseboxing.com - wrote: CUNNINGHAM-ADAMEK IN FIGHT OF THE YEAR!

"Boxing received the shot in the arm it needed Thursday night."

"At a time when boxing has been fed Pacquiao-DeLaHoya, Calzaghe-Jones and Hopkins-Pavlik lopsided decisions, the VERSUS cable network put on what many call the fight of the year, and certainly the best fight the young to boxing network has produced!"

"This writer had it 114-111 Cunningham."

"In being asked about a rematch, Adamek seemed reluctant to answer while referring to his promoter, Kathy Duva of Main Events. "I feel we can come back to this building in the future and give the fans more great fights," said Duva. She also would not commit to a rematch to Cunningham at that moment. Cunningham's promoter, King, was noticeably missing from the press conference. It may take the fans in order to make it happen. The many viewers of the fight and the thousands on hand would like nothing better."

Michael Cassell - www.philaboxingreport.com - said many times on his AFB radio show - www.afbradio.us

"It's Fight Of The Year"

"The best fight I have seen in a long time"

"I've had many calls, all asking when is the rematch"

"Boxing fans demand a rematch"

"You (Steve Cunningham) won almost every round, you were wiinning the rounds big, round four I had as 10-8 to you until the knockdown"

"In my humble opinion that judge (John Stewart, New Jersey who gave an outrageous score of 116-110 in favor of Adamek) should never be allowed to judge a fight again, That was a disgrace for a better word. He should be ashamed of himself"

He then called upon his listeners to "write and call HBO, Showtime, Don King and Kathy Duva at Main Events and start demanding a rematch"

Michael Woods - www.thesweetscience.com - wrote: What A Doozy! Adamek Fells Cunningham On Vs.

"How do you score this round, TSS Universe? It was shaping up 10-8 for Cunningham but then he was dropped"

"the champ made a contest of it. He went down, but didn't stay down, and did enough to leave viewers uncertain as we waited for the judges to lay down a decision after 12 Fight of the Year-level rounds. Cunningham won the stat war (205-690 to 186-480)"

Comments to article:

Andy from Newcastle: "this is a best a call for a rematch as any I've seen."

Anon: "What a fight; lets have a rematch!!!"

Rudy: " Sick, sick fight. What action, back and forth, that 4th round was ridiculous!"

"amazing fight, close enough that it DESERVES a rematch."

Yuvie: "Sounds like a re-match is definately in order."

Brown Sugar: "good action fight,.. what a refreshing dose of good sportsmans ship by Cunningham,.. not blaming the fans, the judges or jet lag etc,.."

"we need more "Real" contests like this and I look forward to seeing the rematch,.."

Dave "Large" Larzelere - www.sportingnews.com - wrote:

"Adamek/Cunningham would have a real claim on Fight of the Year honors, and certainly will garner some much earned honorable mentions in that category from boxing writers across the country when the year-end lists start pouring in over the next few weeks."

"it was two guys going to the wall with a legitimate title on the line. In short, in a week dominated by a fight that was about as big as boxing can be, to my mind Adamek/Cunningham was the best that it can be. Here's hoping they do it again."

Kurt Wolfheimer, - www.fightnews.com - wrote: Adamek-Cunningham Wage War! Adamek Captures Cruiser Crown in Fight of the Year Candidate...

"Cruiserweights Tomasz "Goral" Adamek and Steve "USS" Cunningham went to war over twelve rounds for Cunningham's IBF cruiserweight belt, in what was classified by many at ringside as the 2008 fight of the year,"

George Kimball - www.espn.com - wrote: Adamek-Cunningham a late contender for FOY honors

"Tomasz Adamek and Cunningham put on an unforgettable show"

"Boxing cards staged in comparative obscurity have not traditionally fared well in year-end fight of the year voting, and one that takes place in the middle of the week in December would seem especially handicapped, but you'd have trouble convincing eyewitnesses at the Prudential Center on Thursday it didn't at the very least belong on the short list of contenders."

"A rematch would seem inevitable."

Joseph Santliquito - Ring Magazine www.thering-online.com - wrote

"the fight was certainly worthy of a rematch."

"it was among the year's best fights."

"The looming question they all had is: Can we see it again?"

Scoop Malinowski - www.boxinginsider.com - wrote: Live Report: Adamek Edges Cunningham in Classic

"Holy Pacquiao! What a fight! This is Bowe-Holyfied-like! Fight of the Year!"

"better than anything we saw last Saturday night.(Pacquiao vs De la Hoya)"

"This is just an amazing fight."

Robert Epstein - www.diamondboxing.com - wrote: Fireworks at the Rock - Cunningham and Adamek Fight of the Year

"Two things are clear as the last bell chimes in the Prudential Center. One, a rematch is inevitable. If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the "USS" to make his way back oversees, and back to Poland. This time, instead of "Diablo", he'll be trying to take the belt from "Goral". Two, don't be surprised if you see the 2008 FIGHT OF THE YEAR title make its home in the cruiserweight division.

"In my many years as a boxing fanatic I have yet to see a live fight of the year in any weight above junior welterweight."

"With the exception of the Mtagwa -Villa (which reminded so much of last's year Sithchatchawal-Monshipour FOY) last month, this is close in the late candidates for Fight of the Year. Prepare for a rematch early 2009."

Dianne Bennett - www.diamondboxing.com - wrote: Cunningham Laced up and Ready for Adamek II

"As soon as the final bell sounded the first thought that I had was when will the rematch take place"

"This post fight conference had a tune to it, even before Cunningham who was first to speak could utter a word the hundred or so media in attendance shouted REMATCH, REMATCH. That remained the constant during the conference and Cunningham without hesitation stated that is exactly what he wants. On the other hand Adamek was non committal."

"A week has gone by now and all the reports have been printed, each boxing expert had the fight scored within one point either way and all agreed that an immediate rematch needs to happen. Many went further to say that this was the fight of the year"

"Now it's up to Adamek and the powers to be to give the fans what they want to see now Cunningham &endash; Adamek II."

Khris Kirkpatrick - www.theblackurbantimes.com - wrote:

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was a rematch due to the excitement in all rounds. Adamek said at the press conference that it didn't matter who he fought next as long as the people were glad to watch it. But Adamek's manager said it depends on the money."

"I believe if Don King wants to promote another big fight it should be a Cunningham-Adamek 2 by putting a lot of money into the fight. If the fight happens it could be the fight of the summer."

PA Sports Ticker: Adamek Captures IBF Cruiserweight Title Fans Scream For A Rematch

"I think the fans would love to see a rematch because that was an awesome fight,"

Danny Serratelli - www.doghouseboxing.com - Wrote:

"The main event of the evening showcased two fighters who deserve more recognition then they get"

"Boxing Fight of the Year Candidate"

Dennis Nolan - www.ringsports.com - wrote: Adamek Wins Cruiser Title in Fight of the Year Effort!

"Definitely a candidate for Fight of the Year and a rematch. Everyone in the crowd standing at the end and wide differences in who folks think won."

"Everyone wants to see this rematch."

Thomas Gerbasi - www.maxboxing.com - wrote:

"one of the best fights of 2008"

"Rematch anyone?"

Jake Emen - www.pro-boxing.suite101.com - wrote: Adamek Beats Cunningham in Cruiserweight Division Fight of the Year

"The Cunningham vs. Adamek cruiserweight division contest was a Fight of the Year candidate."

"Both men in this contest showed amazing heart, toughness and grit. The Cunningham vs. Adamek bout is certainly a contender for Fight of the Year."

Jake Donovan - www.boxingscene.com - wrote in a 2008 review article:

"an instant classic as well as the latest Fight of the Year entry."

Geo Elsasser - www.braggingrightscorner.com - wrote:

"The yesteryear system of round by round scoring would have resulted in my opinion, Cunningham retaining the strap - my sheet had it all square at six rounds apiece. Thus a draw the defending champion retains and a rematch is in order based on both scoring and a very entertaining action affair. Only the today screwed up system could deny Cunningham a return."

Christopher Falvello - www.bleacherreport.com - wrote: Tomasz Adamek Steals Fourth to Claim 200-Pound Title

"a Fight of the Year" candidate"

"I am not suggesting that this was indeed a hometown decision, after all Adamek did score three knockdowns, but I am highlighting a curious condition of the fight. (Also 116-112 was a little wide of a margin, and guess who it went to?).

The scores came in 114-112 Cunningham, and 116-112, 115-113 Adamek, making the Pole the new world champion of 200-pound fighters. This is where that fourth round comes into play.

Up until the knockdown, the fourth was a 10-8 round for Cunningham. If he had not been knockdown, the scores would have been 116-110, 114-114, and 115-113 for Cunningham. But again, 116-110 would have been a huge margin for such a close fight."

"Ultimately though, it doesn't matter who you gave the fight to. This was a thrilling battle, of exceptionally talented fighters, that demands a rematch with Showtime or HBO as possible carriers."

Francis Walker - www.blackathlete.net - wrote:

"Cunningham vs. Adamek could be the 2008 Fight of the Year."

MMA specialist Brent Brookhouse - www.bloodyelbow.com - wrote: Fight of the Month: Steve Cunningham vs Tomasz Adamek

"There are still some big MMA shows to go this month. But any fight is going to have a hell of a time topping last night's boxing war between Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek."

Ryan Kaye - www.411mania.com - wrote:

"I had a draw on my unofficial scorecard, 114-114"

"A twelve-round championship bout, minus rest periods, lasts exactly thirty-six minutes. If you only paid attention to thirty-five minutes of the war between Steve Cunningham vs. Tomasz Adamek, go back and re-watch it, because you missed something."

"Now when was the last time you saw a heavyweight fight with thirty-six minutes of solid action?"

Comments added to this report:

Ramon Aranda "This was one hell of a fight and will surely be a Fight of the Year candidate."

Mike Guest "That is the kind of fight that needs to be on the undercard of a major ppv blockbuster."

CompletePlayer "Shame this fight didn't get more hype going into it. Kudos to Versus for giving them this spotlight by airing it. I would be down for a rematch."

Corey T Willinger - www.insidefights.com - wrote: Adamek Edges Cunningham in Cruiserweight Classic

"A rematch is surely in high demand after a great, great fight where both men showed what made them champions."

www.badlefthook.com wrote: Adamek tops Cunningham in a barnburner

Bad Left Hook voted - Cunningham vs Adamek - Fight Of The Month

"a thrilling bout that no doubt takes its place among 2008's Fight of the Year contenders."

"This is a fight that has rematch written all over it. There's not a better opponent for either guy"

In the comment area to this report:

"these two fights may well have made for the best night of boxing on American TV in 2008. Hats off to Versus and Don King, and the fighters, of course."

"Absolutely FOTY material - I'm just still puzzled on how the hell Cunningham was getting up so quickly after the knockdowns. That and the 116-110 cardÉ Jesus."

Ryan Songalia - www.boxingscene.com - wrote: Steve Cunningham Hungry For an Adamek Rematch

Boxing Scene Voted - Cunningham vs. Adamek - Cruiserweight Fight Of The Year

"Everybody was screaming for a rematch in the venue. The press conference was screaming rematch, so were the promoters. Off the fact that it was an awesome fight and people want to see it again. The fans are the power, they demand the rematches."

"Less than 24 hours after what many feel is a front-runner for Fight of the Year honors,"

Cliff Rold - www.boxingscene.com - wrote:

"The final bell sounded only days ago and already fans are asking when they'll see these two at it again"

Danny Serratelli - www.brickcityboxing.com - wrote:

"Fight of the Year Candidate in the Brick City!"

To go with Steve's 14th Dec. press release BCB used our mission statement as the headline (-;

"It Was Fight Of The Year, So......We Want A Rematch, We Want Cunningham vs. Adamek ll IBF World Cruiserweight Championship"

To go with the post fight quotes BCB used the headline:

"Adamek Wins Split Decision over Cunningham in a Fight of the Year Candidate"

Michael Norby - www.secondsout.com - wrote: Adamek Beats Cunningham in 12 Round Thriller

"a strong contender for fight of the year,"

"the efforts of both men this evening screams out for an immediate rematch."

www.fightfan.com wrote: Adamek edges Cunningham in Fight of the Year candidate!

"hopefully a rematch will occur early next year."

Tim Starks - www.queensberry-rules.com wrote: Tomasz Adamek - Steve Cunningham Video; Fight Of The Year?

"I've attached videos after the jump of the 2008 Fight of the Year candidate, and part two begins with a great 2008 Round of the Year candidate. For our pals overseas who don't have the option of lobbying anyone -- and I'm always grateful to be of assistance to them -- just enjoy the footage."

Under a different headline Tim Starks also writes: In A Sensational Fight, One Of 2008's Best, Adamek Squeaks By Cunningham

"Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham fought each other to a standstill for 12 rounds to produce a strong finalist for the best boxing match of 2008."

"The difference on the scorecards, it appeared, was that Adamek dropped Cunningham three times. One judge had it 116-110 for Adamek, but the other two had it a more sensible 114-112 for Cunningham and 115-112 for Adamek. I had it a draw."

"The fight just screams for a rematch -- Adamek and Cunningham are utterly made for one another. Cunningham wants a rematch, while Adamek's team is playing "wait and see.""

Keith - www.phillykeith.com - wrote

Even in a loss, USS showed the world he is a top notch competitor who belongs with the best by turning in one of the action packed televised fights in 2008. Rest assured he will be back and many across the globe have one thought in mind...REMATCH!!!

Kellan - www.necessaryevilsoflife.blogspot.com - wrote: Now This Was a Fight

"IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve Cunningham (unsuccessfully) defended his title against Tomasz Adamek. As opposed to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao fight, this was the fight of the year for me so far."

www.theshipbesinking.wordpress.com wrote: Tomasz Adamek SD12 Steve Cunningham: Fight of the Year

"This was the fight of the year in my book,"

"I can honestly say I haven't seen anything better this year. There must be a rematch- there's money in it for both guys, and Cunningham deserves his return bout."

"A wonderful performance by both men, who should be commended."

Richard Eberline - www.saddoboxing.com - wrote:

"A rematch could be in the making as the bout was very competitive"

Dan Rafael - www.espn.com - comments were made by both Dan and fans on his weekly on-line chat

Brock (Belleville, IL) "Adamek and USS put on a show last night with a FOTY candidate"

Dan Rafael "Adamek-Cunningham was sensational,"

Tim (CA): "Are Cunningham and Adamek gonna have a rematch right away?"

Dan Rafael: "Nothing has been determined but I would hope they do it again and I would hope a network would pay them well for it. I said all along when that card was made that it could have easily been on Showtime or on HBO as a Boxing After Dark."

Corey from(WestWick): "this one has rematch written all over it"

Aaron (Dighton, MA): "where does Cunnigham/Adamak rate in the Fight of the Year discussion?"

Dan Rafael: "It's in the conversation for being the winner."

Mayo, New Jersey: 20 min train ride = $4.25 ringside seats = $303 Watching a potential FOTY in front of a packed and crezed house = priceless Cruiserweight is the new heavyweight. These guys come to fight and are in shape.

On his blog - www.sports.espn.com - Dan Rafael also wrote:

"Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham went caveman on each other with Adamek scoring three knockdowns to win a split decision and the cruiserweight world championship in a fight of the year candidate."

Alex Ginebra - Boxeo Mundial Magazine - wrote (e.mail):

"What a battle! I just finished writing two separate articles about it,

since I have so much material to work with"

"As far as the Cunningham-Adamek re-match I can think of nothing better for the sport of boxing! And I hope this becomes a reality very soon and would love to see it again in person. This past fight was one of the best I had ever seen, and definitely should be in consideration for "fight of the year.""

Steve Kim - www.maxboxing.com - announced that Cunningham vs Adamek was placed 3rd in their 2008 K9's writing:

"Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham: There is finally a cruiserweight fight to go alongside Holyfield-Qawi I. Adamek's chin and heavy hands were the difference in this rousing battle."

Thomas Scherr in his Twelve Days of Boxing Christmas List - www.eastsideboxing.com - wrote:

"Day 4: Cunningham vs. Adamek 2: The first battle was an immediate cruiserweight classic, topped only by Evander Holyfield's Cruiserweight wars. Cunningham, a fighter largely ignored by the American public is becoming appreciated even in a loss."

www.eastsideboxing.com - Top 3 Boxing Fights of 2008

"3. Steven Cunningham v. Tomasz Adamek (Versus), December 11th, Newark, NJ

With the exception of the two lowest weight classes, the cruiserweight division has historically been the most overlooked class in boxing, but Cunningham and Adamek put the division on the mapfor 2008 with a thrilling battle between two strong prime athletes who came to fight."

Peter Czymbor - www.8countnews.com - 8CN Fight Of The Year Awards - although the winner was Vasquez vs Marquez 111 writes:

*Honorable Mentions

Tomasz Adamek vs. Steve Cunningham &endash; Cruiserweight World Championship - December 11, 2008 &endash; Prudential Center &endash; Newark, NJ

Who ever said cruiserweights can't fight?

Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham proved that notion wrong with a thrilling 12 round war on December 11th of this year for the recognized cruiserweight championship of the world.

During the all action slugfest, Adamek knocked down Cunningham three times. However, Cunningham threw and landed more punches.

After 12 rounds of nonstop action, the verdict came in: Tomasz Adamek won via split decision to become the new cruiserweight champ.

Hopefully 2009 will bring us a sequel to this classic encounter. The fans want it and Steve Cunningham certainly wants it.

www.boxinginsider.com - Q&A Tomasz "Warrior" Adamek: Wants Unification or Hopkins Next

"Newly crowned IBF Cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek electrified the boxing world with his "Fight of the Year" performance against Steve Cunningham two weeks ago in Newark, NJ."

George Willis - www.nypost.com - writes in his year end article 2008 Boxing Reveals Mixed Results

"There were plenty of special moments in boxing in 2008: Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez met in an epic third bout; Antonio Margarito scored a thrilling upset of Miguel Cotto, the slugfest between Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham in Newark demands a rematch; and Manny Pacquiao's three victories in three different weight divisions had historic implications."

FIGHT OF THE YEAR: Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez III. Vazquez won a 12-round split decision that left fans wanting IV. Honorable mention: Margarito vs. Cotto. Adamek vs. Cunningham.

Brett Conway - www.maxboxing.com - in his article 'The Cruiserweights are the New Heavyweights

"Then, just a week before Valuev-Holyfield, Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek put on what might be the fight of the year. It was a styles-make-fights match up as Cunningham boxed with some power and Adamek stalked with more power. Adamek knocked Cunningham down thrice and earned a decision for the cruiserweight title. A rematch looms. And we know Adamek is the champ."

Joon Lee - www.15rounds.com - in his 2008 End of the Year 2008 Awards placed Cunningham vs Adamek second to Vasquez vs Marquez III and wrote:

"2. Tomasz Adamek W12 Steve Cunningham - The consensus bias on American cruiserweight title holder Steve Cunningham was that he was a light punching, safety-first boxer who hardly ever produced any excitement. On the other hand, it was a rarity to see Polish Adamek in a bad fight. Thankfully for those who have never seen Cunningham in action, this was his debut on live American television. Perhaps it was in his intention to come out the way he did, and thankful for those who watched the fight, it created a back-and-forth action. Unfortunately for Cunningham, he would visit the canvas on three different occasions, but would rise to seemingly get himself back in the fight. The decision really could've gone either way, but what's certain is that the rematch is a must for 2009."

Judi Abate - www.mightygloves.com - in her 2008: The Years Best article wrote:

"A Really Great fight:Tomasz Adamek vs.Steve Cunningham"

Dan Rafael - www.espn.com - although the winner was Holt vs Torres round 1 wrote in his Round Of The Year report:

Other Scorchers

"Cunningham had already been down in the second round of this cruiserweight championship fight, but appeared to even things up in this all-action frame. It was all Cunningham early as he rocked Adamek with a left uppercut and had him holding on. Cunningham continued his attack and was teeing off on Adamek, who looked ready to go. Even if Cunningham couldn't get the knockout, he was authoring a textbook example of a 10-8 round without scoring a knockdown, that's how badly he was punishing Adamek. But with 30 seconds left, Adamek landed a right hand that knocked Cunningham down as the pro-Adamek crowd went wild. A rejuvenated Adamek dominated the rest of the round and had Cunningham in big trouble in a classic round that had a huge shift in momentum."

Paul Upham - www.secondsout.com - In his 2008 Fight Of The Year Report gave the award to Vasquez vs Marquez III but wrote:

"Other contenders were Antonio Margarito's knockout of the previously undefeated Miguel Cotto, Carl Froch's furious WBC super middleweight world title points win over Jean Pascal and Tomasz Adamek's IBF cruiserweight world title win on points over Steve Cunningham."

Lou Ciaccia - www.ringtalk.com - wrote in his TV Man's 2008 Awards:

TV'S ROUND OF 2008: KENDALL HOLT-RICARDO TORRES

Honorable Mention: Round 12 of Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez II/IV, Round 4 of Tomas Adamek-Steve Cunningham.

Chris Iorfida - www.cbc.ca - The 2008 CBCSports.ca Boxing Awards wrote:

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

Winner - Israel Vazquez W 12 Rafael Marquez

Runner Up - Tomasz Adamek W 12 Steve Cunningham

These two cruiserweights zoomed to near the top of the list just a couple weeks back with an exciting fight that saw Cunningham dropped three times but win most of the other rounds. A close fight that had fans calling for an encore, and marvelling at Adamek's anvil-like chin.

Mark Staniforth - www.sportinglife.com - wrote in his article 'Boxing Highlights Of 2008'

WORLD FIGHT OF THE YEAR:

1 Antonio Margarito W TKO 11 v Miguel Cotto:

2 Israel Vazquez W Pts 12 v Rafael Marquez:

3 Tomasz Adamek W Pts 12 v Steve Cunningham: Adamek rallied from the brink of a stoppage loss in round four to deck the defending IBF cruiserweight champion three times en route to a scintillating split decision win.

Ryan Burton - www.boxingtalk.com - in his article 'Dream Fights For 2009' wrote:

As 2008, a terrific year for boxing, wraps up, let's look ahead to 2009. Here are ten fights in no particular order that I would call must-see TV. Although I picked the fights that I considered great for the fans, the probability of the fights having a realistic chance of happening was also considered

Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham II... While they aren't household names, they put on one of the three top fights in 2008. Will Cunningham clean up his sloppiness that lead to being knocked down three times? While Cunningham can't gain any more power and likely won't be able to knock Adamek out, if he sticks to a sound gameplan he could outbox Adamek and win a decision. Adamek now knows that Cunningham doesn't have the power to hurt him so he can take more chances in a effort to get into Cunningham and knock him out. Their first fight was Versus best fight of 2008 and easily the best fight on free TV. If Cunningham wins the second fight then we may have another classic trilogy on our hands.

David Schraub - www.dsadevil.blogspot.com - in his Year End Boxing Awards wrote:

CARD OF THE YEAR:

Runner-up: Versus' December 12th card, featuring Steve Cunningham/Thomas Adamek and Joseph Abeko/William Gonzalez.

COURAGE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY AWARD

Runners-up: Steve Cunningham getting up after three knockdowns against Tomasz Adamek, Monte Barrett's energizer bunny like effort against David Haye.

Luke Kohler - www.lukekohler.com - wrote in his article 'Ten Fights I want For 2009':

Tomasz Adamek vs. Steve Cunningham II

Chances: 95%

The first fight between the two was a Fight of the Year candidate, and any rematches between the two will likely also be. The cruiserweight division isn't exactly the deepest division in boxing, particularly when it comes to name recognition, so this rematch should be made on a count of lack of options alone.

Ryan Kaye - www.411mania.com - wrote in his article '2008 End of Year Boxing Awards: The Scrappys!'

In the category of "Fight of the Year," the nominees are: Miguel Cotto/Antonio Margarito, Steve Cunningham/Tomasz Adamek, and Israel Vazquez/Rafael Marquez III.

And the Scrappy goes toÉ ISRAEL VAZQUEZ/RAFAEL MARQUEZ III.

Brian Wilbur - www.ringsidereport.com - wrote in his article 'RSR's Year in Review: 2008'

Round of the Year &endash; Rafael Marquez vs. Israel Vazquez round 12

Honorable Mention: Ricardo Torres vs. Kendall Holt round 1, Steve Cunningham vs. Tomasz Adamek round 4.

Fight of the Year &endash; Antonio Margarito TKO11 Miguel Cotto

Honorable Mention: Israel Vazquez SD Rafael Marquez, Tomasz Adamek SD Steve Cunningham.

Jason Peck - www.eastsideboxing.com - in his article 'Cunningham-Adamek: Did Public Really Appreciate This Fight?' wrote:

a far better fight card than HBO did the week previously? And for free, too. Not only was Cunningham-Adamek a sight to behold, the undercard bout between Joseph Agbeko and William Gonzalez was likewise tremendously entertaining. Hopefully they'll schedule a rematch.

I really want to know what's going to happen to either Cunningham or Adamek next. Do you?

I know the real boxing fans are out there, who actually follow the sport and hunger for flavor of old-school, no-bullshit bouts that Cunningham-Adamek brought to a starving audience. All you have to do is ask.

Comments made by readers of this article:

fineart - i watched the fight with my girl roommate on versus and we were shouting with excitement!!! full of action!!!

CLBinTX - I think the fight went unappreciated for 3 immediate reasons: 1. The day of the week. I just don't think that many people saw it live. Only the hardcore faithful watch taped/TiVo'd events where the winner is already known. 2. The network. VS is not widely known or regarded. It's a commercial network. I was DESPERATE to hear what the corners were telling their fights & we got NONE of that. 3. The division. It's not covered/followed to anywhere near the degree that "glamour" divisions are. Put that all together and we get what you've observed. It was a great fight & I 'd love to see these guys do it again. Unfortunately, in many ways this fight was just another example of, "pearls before swine."

freddy21x - this was a great fight, anyone in our close boxing family watched it, and new they had an instant classic. The problem is a lot of people do not know about "versus," the boxing and MMA are both great.

JC40 - Great article , great fight and great post " Bruiser". This fight was what boxing is all about . Two well matched , well conditioned athletes leaving nothing on the shelf . A rematch is a must !

peej - A rematch would be nice. I still think Cunningham could had pulled this out but he kept wanting to trade. I think he won ever round he was not knocked down in. And one round he was winning handily till he got knocked down so that should had really been a 9-9 round. But I would definitely like to see a rematch.

Fight Aficionado - Yeah let's see the rematch since the first fight was fireworks for the cruiser division. Versus or BAD would suffice. This time promote it better, which should be easy to do given the first fight. Also, even though Cunningham lost IMO his stock rose because he went out swinging and nobody knew him since he was buried in Europe before. Now US audiences will recognize what a quality boxer he is.

Bruiser - Pavlik-Miranda happened soon after Oscar-Floyd's white collar sparring session, and during the Pavlik-Miranda match you could hear Larry Merchant saying something to the effect of "If only this fight had happened a few weeks ago when millions were watching". In 2008, we suffer another Oscar fight taking the spotlight off of what I consider among the top three fights of the year, Cunningham-Adamek. What I like about the cruiserweight division is that all the best boxers fight each other. Perhaps this is because the cruiserweight division has been very poorly promoted, at least stateside, and virtually ignored altogether unless a cruiser is making his heavyweight debut. The author said something important about MMA...while the media tends to view boxing's cruiserweight division as "a place for fat light heavyweights", in MMA they really push their 205 pound division heavily because they know fighters at that weight are very exciting and crowd pleasing. And unlike most overeating heavweights today who throw two punches and are gasping for air, 200 or 205 pounders are able to go full steam for the length of the fight. Boxing has yet to pick up on that, while MMA has. Both Cunningham and Adamek were in great cardio and physical condition (each in their own way) and were fighting until the final bell. That Cunningham was still very much in the fight despite three knockdowns was amazing. People often confuse knockout power with boxing ability, but much like how Vasquez-Marquez complimented each other perfectly, Cunningham's boxing matched up perfectly with Adamek's. The occasions when that happens shows why boxing can be so breathtaking. While HBO is showing Dawson-Tarver II and Taylor-Wright II, head over to youtube and find the Cunningham-Adamek fight to remember what real boxing matchups...no, what real boxing superfights or 'the dream match'...should be all about.

Lman - i sure appreciated the match, it was great, i would also appreciate a rematch

t-bone - Rematch would be great

t-bone - Best fight in at cruiserweight in a while.

Fight Aficionado - Yeah this bout didn't get the props it deserved and in fact I was shocked that there was only one story here at ESB in the leadup to it. The lack of post fight chatter is because neither guy is a star. But hopefully that fight made it possible that their stars will rise down the line.

william - This was a great fight. I would rate it as the fight of the year, considering the non stop action, knockdowns, and no holding through out the fight whatsoever. If you missed it, check it out on YOUTUBE.COM and type adamek cunnigham. Hope to see both fighters on HBO or SHOWTIME soon.

Boxing Geek - 'Cruiserweight supremacy on the line'? Does that mean, Jason, that you agree with The Ring in the belief that these were the two best cruiserweights in the world and the winner is the legitimate champion of the division? Do you, in this instance, recognize the Ring champion? Now that I have the required minimum archenemy duties out of the way, I will note that /I/ did not ignore this fight. It /and/ the undercard are covered on my blog and the HBO and Showtime fights of the following Saturday are not. This was certainly the fight of the week and it is my fight of the year.

majkel - prettyboyybennett - I agree with u.. it's stupid that people focus on floyd oscar tec intsead of talking about the really best fight of the year. We complain abt television but televsion organizes fights we want to watch. Lets all wake up and recognize TODAY'S (not 1990s) true herooes Adamek and USS Cunn!

KlitschkosATGs - BigFaces - the obvious fight for Adamek is Dawson, instead of him fighting Tarver again, whom he clearly beat. The other fighters that are of interest are Tokarev and Alekseev, get a little Polish/Russian rivalrly going. Macaroni, no don't want to see that, way overrated and no chin. Huck, possibly, but Cunnigham beat him, so what's that going to prove? Adamek is not short of opponents, he shouldn't rematch Cunningham, the fight was good but there is no dispute as to who won. They could have a rematch down the line when Cunnigham gets a couple of wins against top opponents and maybe a different belt but at this time let's see Adamek with a different fighter.

prettyboyybennett - ITS AMAZING HOW PEOPLE JUST BLACKBALLED THIS FIGHT AND THEY CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT OSCAR ROY AND BERNARD. THIS WAS THE FIGHT OF THE YEAR. HANDS DOWN, PERIOD!

BigFaces - KlitschkosATGs- Knockout percentage can be deceiving. I was in the 12th row watching the fight and trust me Cunningham can hit with power. Adamek couldn't out box Cunningham so he made it a dog fight... and Cunningham in a few spots got careless and caught. The 4th rd Adamek was damn near out on his feet and in the last seconds of the round he lands a big shot to floor Cunningham. He was clearly getting his ass handed to him. Adamek has stated he wants a rematch if the large networks pick up the fight. In the rematch Cunningham has a big chance to outbox Adamek but must keep his hands up because Adamek has good power. Since Adamek has no plans of moving down who else should he fight... Enzo Maccarinelli? Guillermo Jones?

Scott - I agree with this article in that the Golden Boy attitude towards making great fights is way off and shameful. The Adamek/Cunningham fight was one of the better fights I've seen in a long time. Two way action, multiple knockdowns, and a high punch volume. I'm the type of fan who is usually disappointed by distance fights but when a fight such as this goes the distance, it's just as entertaining as even the best knockouts. Boxing seems to have fewer and fewer aggressive fighters or guys willing to put it all on the line. As such I see this fight as one of the rare gems in more recent times.

Yak - good article.. ive always said USS deserves recognition, hes a terrific fighter n a true old school fighter aswell. went to germany to KO huck in his hometown. here against adamek he fought like a true champion even in defeat. adamek is ofcourse a warrior too

Peter - Versus has an excellent opportunity to do what HBO has failed to do - use a 24/7 style series to explain why we should pay attention to the Cunninghams and Adameks of the boxing world. 24/7 is very effective at drawing an audience in to a fight. Versus could use the format, not to hype big-name, pointless fights, but to shed light on the admittedly obscure world of boxing. The casual sport bar fan wouldn't know why the upcoming Margarito-Mosley fight is so compelling, but a 24/7 style show could quickly change that. Furthermore, what is MMA doing that boxing isn't in terms of promoting fights? Have they been better able to explaint to fans what the truly important fights are? I don't pay attention to MMA, so I wouldn't know. Maybe some letters to Versus to thank them for the fight and explain to them the great role they could play in the sport are in order.

Scorpio - This was one of the best, most exciting fights I saw all year, and it was FREE!! While watching was thinking what I had just paid to see the De La Hoya/Pacquiao card--even the undercards sucked on that. Thank you Adamek and Cunningham and Versus.

BigFaces - Erased- I was at the fight as well and I think this fight was a candidate for fight of the year. The atmosphere was amazing... all the Polish fans cheering on their guy.

Iskander - Great fight, period.

terror tim - I think this might have been the 2nd or 3rd best fight of the year. Right up there with Vasquez vs Marquez and the other great ones. Do a rematch but why not put it on an under card of a PPV. Start stacking those cards.

Rematch - "To stuck in the moment" A fight like that will put Cunningham on the map with fans....This is what boxing needs a guy that gives everything he has and leaves it in the ring. GO USS!

Rematch - Everyone out there wants to see a rematch except the polish/Adamek fans. They rather have their polish hero hold onto the belt then go after fights that entertain the fans. Rematch is a must and going after sub par boxers is unacceptable!

stonka - It was a great fight. Adamek is a beast. The shots he took would put almost anyone on their ass.

CLUBBER - It was a classic...what a WAR!!!Both fighters gave their all and personally i have the fight 1 point win for Cunningham despite the 3 kd....

karl sulla - Fight of the Year - candidate. I like these cruiserweights - much more fun the heavyweights right now.

Dan Rafael - www.espn.com - in his 2008 Year End Awards - winner Vasquez-Marquez III - wrote:

The cruiserweight title bout featuring Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham rates among the division's best-ever fights.

On paper, the cruiserweight world championship fight figured to be an excellent one given the boxers' contrasting styles. But who could have expected a late-year epic, the greatest fight in the brief history of Versus-televised boxing and a title bout that ranked not far behind the first Evander Holyfield-Dwight Muhammad Qawi battle as the division's most exciting fight? Adamek earned the split-decision victory on the strength of three knockdowns (in the second, fourth and eighth rounds), but Cunningham dished out tremendous punishment of his own -- including the all-action fourth, when he battered the iron-chinned Adamek for nearly the entire round before getting clipped going down late. For 12 rounds, there was terrific ebb and flow and loads of furious exchanges.

Dan Rafael - www.espn.com - in the Year End Cruiserweight division rankings wrote:

1. Tomasz Adamek (36-1)

Adamek, a former light heavyweight titleholder, scored three knockdowns and won a split decision in a sensational action fight against Steve Cunningham to earn recognition as the real cruiserweight world champion on Dec. 11. It was a great fight and a rematch is inevitable.

2. Steve Cunningham (21-2)

He gave it everything he had, but he came up just short in his battle with Adamek. Cunningham lost his belt, but gained immeasurable respect from fight fans for his tremendous effort.

Scott Christ - www.badlefthook.com - placed Cunningham-Adamek 4th in his Top 20 fights of 2008

4. Steve Cunningham v. Tomasz Adamek

December 11 - Newark, New Jersey

Steve Cunningham brought his IBF cruiserweight title home to the United States, fighting on American soil for the first time since a 2006 bout against Lloyd Bryan. He had been making his bones in Poland and Germany, fighting proudly as one of the world's best cruiserweights.

Polish-born Tomasz Adamek, a former light heavyweight titleholder, moved up to cruiserweight in 2007 following a loss to Chad Dawson. He had yet to fight great competition, save for former cruiser champ O'Neil Bell, who looked terrible against Adamek in an eliminator bout in April.

Cunningham would be the great cruiserweight test for Adamek, and it would also decide the new Ring Magazine champion. London's David Haye had vacated the crown to go up in weight and try his hand at revitalizing the heavyweight division.

I truly think it's safe to say that even if you expected a good fight from Cunningham-Adamek, you didn't expect it to be a Fight of the Year candidate.

Fighting in Newark, Adamek received great support from the many Polish-Americans in attendance. The Pole had relocated to Jersey a while back, too, and was fighting Philadelphia's Cunningham on what must have felt like a home court advantage.

Cunningham's hand speed advantage was evident in the first round, and he was looking fine. He was the faster man, the better athlete, and the better boxer. But the fight changed dramatically when Adamek crushed Cunningham just before the bell at the end of the second round, dropping the defending titlist and grabbing momentum.

In the fourth, a Round of the Year contender emerged. Cunningham wobbled Adamek, and began a full frontal assault. He fired on Adamek relentlessly, chasing him around the ring and leaving nothing to chance. To be frank, he was fighting stupidly. The granite-chinned Adamek wasn't going down -- instead, he walloped Cunningham to the floor again, and what was a 10-8 round for Cunningham turned into a 10-9 or maybe 10-8 round for Adamek.

Cunningham, though, calmed the pace and started racking up some points. He was still very much in the fight, despite hitting the canvas twice. In the eighth, though, he went down again, and this time he looked glassier than the previous knockdowns.

Trailing on my card, I had Cunningham winning the last three rounds to grab a 113-113 draw. On the official cards, he lost 114-112, 110-116, and 112-115, a split decision that was hard to argue with, but easy to argue, really.

Though Cunningham admitted he didn't fight his best, and that he got away from his strengths, the truth is he probably felt he had little choice by the second knockdown. He kept on trying to hurt Adamek and put him down, and he came fairly close. But if Steve Cunningham learned anything from this fight, it was not to slug with a guy who can do it better. Adamek walked away the new cruiserweight champion of the world, but it was such a compelling and excellent fight that there's no question the only fight for either of them is a rematch. It won't happen right away, but let's hope it does happen sometime in 2009. Every major network should want a piece of this action.

Anson Wainwright - www.15rounds.com - wrote in his article 'Looking Into The 2009 Crystal Ball Of Boxing'

Just a few weeks back Cunningham was dethroned by Tomasz Adamek who became a two weight world champion. A rematch of the barnstorming first fight will likely happen in early summer. Hopefully this time it will gain more attention and both guys can earn the sort of money they deserve.

Cliff Rold - www.boxingscene.com - in the 2008 Year-End Awards wrote:

Runner-Ups

Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham: Fans tuned in December 11th to see what they assumed would be an interesting fight. Few expected one of the best fights in the history of the Cruiserweight division.

Dan Rafael - www.espn.com - in his article 'A wish list for '09'

"For Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham, a rematch of their stellar cruiserweight championship fight on a network willing pay good money for it."

Cliff Rold - www.boxingscene.com - wrote in his article 'A Solid Finish - BoxingScene's Month in Review'

Fight of the Month: Steve Cunningham-Tomasz Adamek

Already selected as BoxingScene's best Cruiserweight Fight of the Year, this classic battle was easily the top brawl of the December and a leading candidate for Fight of the Year. As described after the fight here at BoxingScene (http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=17428):

George Kimball - www.bostonherald.com - wrote:

Pacquiao-De La Hoya turned out to be such a mismatch that it won't get much support for Fight of the Year. Rather, the balloting will come down the March war between Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez and the Dec. 11 Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham fight in Newark, N.J. The latter battle saw Cunningham lose on a narrow split decision despite going down three times. Our choice would be the latter, but the fact that it was waged in relative obscurity (on Versus) and before a relatively small segment of the electorate may hurt its chances.

Daniel "Tex" Cohen - www.ringsidereport.com - wrote in his article 'Pound for Pound Nationalism Style: The United States'

#8- Steve Cunningham

Say hello to one half of one of the best cruiserweight fights of all time. Cunningham recently faced Tomasz Adamek in a brawl that featured a steel chin and a stiff punch against a fast set of hands and feet. Cunningham found himself down three times in the fight, but managed to rise all three times to scrape his way back into the bout. Adamek took the day, but Cunningham deserves plenty of credit. The fight could have gone either way, and Adamek is no slouch. Cunningham's only other loss was a split decision to Krzystof Wlodarczyk, a loss he avenged last year before beating down Marco Huck in the last round of a close fight. Now a veteran off the fight game and an experienced hitter, Cunningham wants a rematch with Adamek and stands a strong chance at beating any man in the cruiserweight division.

Tim Smith - www.frankwarren.tv - in his 'A USA LOOK AT 2008' article wrote:

FIGHT OF THE YEAR: You think I'm going to say Pacquiao-De La Hoya, but you need both guys throwing punches to constitute a fight. My pick is Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham for the IBF cruiserweight title that very few people saw. I saw it live at the Prudential Center in Newark, a place typically reserved for pro hockey. It was a sparse crowd of just over 5,000 and they were treated to a rousing display of courage and guts. Adamek had Cunningham on the canvas three times in the fight, and twice he had him down and hurt. But Cunningham kept bouncing back up and firing at Adamek, who has a granite chin. It was a back and forth fight that saw Adamek squeeze out a 12-round split decision. How either man stayed upright for 12 rounds is beyond me.

Eileen Teran - www.ringsidereport.com - wrote The Best Fight You Never Saw: Steve "USS" Cunningham Vs Tomasz Adamek

This scrap turned out to be right up there in Fight of the Year contenders, in a year with some top notch fights.

In the end, everyone waited with bated breath, knowing it was going to be tight, but the three knockdowns would probably put Adamek over the top. The scores were read: 114-112 (Cunningham), 116-110, and 115-112 (both for Adamek), translating into a breathtaking split decision after an incredible ring war. Why the one judge had Cunningham winning in, and the other two had it very close despite the knockdowns, were some of those of the rounds where Cunningham had gone down, he had done enough work in the round that some of the judges scored the round 10-9 for Adamek, rather than the customary 10-8.

If Cunningham had had one more round, I think he would have finished Adamek, who was looking pretty exhausted by the end of this brilliant match up. Adamek, when asked at the end of the fight, if he would give Cunningham a rematch, deferred to his promoter and team. Cunningham said definitely he'd like to do it again, if Adamek would have him.

This is what boxing is all about! This is why we love it.

Michael Cassell - www.philaboxingreport.com - wrote in his article 'PHILLY'S TOP 10 PHILLY FIGHTERS'

#1 Steve Cunningham 21 - 2 - (11 KO's) Cruiserweight

This man has made a living traveling the world and winning is hostile territory. He was Philadelphia's only champion for awhile there until his spectacular battle with Tomasz Adamek, who's only loss, came to Chad Dawson. Cunningham was a quiet Champion, but now the beast inside will be released. Expect a rematch, and expect a win.

Ron Borges - www.thesweetscience.com - wrote in his article Borges' 2009 Wish List

a rematch between cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham on a network willing and able to showcase them,

Ramon Aranda - www.411mania.com - wrote in his article A Top 10 List of Fights I Want to See in 2009

Tomasz Adamek vs. Steve Cunningham II - If you saw their first encounter a couple of weeks ago on Versus, then you know you want to see it again. Adamek and Cunningham beat each other from pillar to post. Though Cunningham was dropped a couple of times, he also rocked Adamek and generally took more rounds on the cards. This fight was for the cruiserweight championship and it was the first fight in a long time in that division that delivered the type of sparks and ebb and flow that fans yearn for. To top it off, the fight was decided via a close split decision with both fighters making a good claim for victory. These are the fights we want to see and the ones we deserve. Let's just hope a major cable network would pick it up next time so they'd have a larger stage.

Brett Conway - www.maxboxing.com - in his article 'I Remember 2008' wrote:

I remember December 11 when in New Jersey cruiserweights Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham showed the heavyweights how titles should be fought and how champions should be crowned when they went at it for twelve hard-fought rounds with Adamek winning a unanimous decision. This fight deserves a rematch.

Scott Christ - www.badlefthook.com - wrote 'Adamek Returns Feb 27 on Shobox'

"I'm rather certain the fight will be Adamek against the dreadfully boring Flores, which will hopefully result in Adamek scoring a crowd-pleasing win and moving on for a rematch with Steve Cunningham."

G. Leon - www.boxingtalk.com - BOXINGTALK'S DAILY MAILBAG

Hey G- whats good man? I want to give my quick thoughts on Fight of the Year 2008. For me it was a choice of 3 unbelievable fights- Cotto-Marg, Vasquez-Marquez, and Cunningham-Adamek. For me all 3 were great, but Cunningham-Adamek has my vote. It was so compelling and every round was a war! Plenty ebb and flow in this one and I cant wait to see them go at it again. Vasquez-Marquez was a very close 2nd! Hopefully we will see all 3 fights happen again soon enough.

Leon's Response: My vote went to the Vazquez-Marquez rubbermatch, but Adamek-Cunningham was off the hook and definitely warrants a rematch.

Daniel "Tex" Cohen - www.ringsidereport.com - wrote in his article "A Look at the Best Pure Boxers in the Fight Game"

Steve Cunningham, 21-2, 11 KO's

Cunningham has a little pop, but he relies mostly on movement and combination work in the ring. While Cunningham was dropped three times in his most recent (and thrilling) fight against Tomasz Adamek, he boxed well in that fight and was very close to walking away with a victory in spite of the knockdowns.

Cunningham is one of the few truly exciting fighters on this list in terms of action inside the ring.

Tim Starks - www.queensberry-rules.com - wrote in his article 'Quick Jabs, Round And Round: Boxing's Game Of Musical Chairs Continues; Location, Location, Location; More'

Cruiserweight (200 lbs.) champion Tomasz Adamek may fight Jonathon Banks in February, after B.J. Flores pulled out. I repeat -- Adamek vs. Steve Cunningham II is the fight Adamek should be making, but absent that, Adamek-Banks isn't a bad fight at all.

Philly Keith - www.phillykeith.com - in his 2008 fight of the year nominations wrote:

On a national level, recognition goes to Steve "USS" Cunningham, who may have lost his IBF Cruiserweight title, but in the same breath won over millions of fight fans for his show of heart against Tomasz Adamek live on Versus. Cunningham won a lions share of the rounds but was also knocked down 3 times in this non stop slugfest between two of the worlds best. A rematch just has to be in order. The TV demand and money will be there you can be assured of that. The only liability here is if Adamek decided to hide.

Dennis Guillermo - www8countnews.com - said in his interview with Tomasz Adamek

"A lot of people have called your victory over Steve Cunningham last December as the Fight of the Year and personally that was one of the best fights I've seen in a while. Tell me what that victory means to you."

Tim Starks - www.queensberry-rules.com - in the article 'Round and Round on again off again' wrote:

"Also, cruiserweight (200 lbs.) champion Tomasz Adamek says his team has talked about a possible bout with Roy Jones, Jr. for June. Adamek wants to get a bigger name for himself thta a win over Jones would bring, but at this point in Jones' diminished career, I bet he could get more of a name winning that rematch with Steve Cunningham everyone wants to see."

www.community.nesn.com Bryan's Boxing Wish List (22nd Jan 09)

Tomasz Adamek (36-1, 24 KO) vs. Steve Cunningham (21-2, 11 KO) II

Cruiserweight (200 pounds)

Another candidate for fight of the year in '08 was this knockdown, drag-out fight between these two top level Cruiserweights. Steve Cunningham out-boxed Adamek for much of the fight, but he just couldn't overcome being sent to the canvas three times by the heavy-handed Polish fighter. Even with the three knockdowns, it was a split decision, and I personally think it demands a rematch.

Prognosis: I think this fight will get done. It may not happen right away; I think both fighters will need to win a bout or two before facing off for a second time. Adamek is already defending his title on Feb. 27th against undefeated Emanuel Steward-trained Jonathon Banks (20-0, 14ko). Cunningham is also fighting pretty quickly-- for a rematch. Check out this website he started, asking fans to petition for another fight.

Jake Donovan - www.boxingscene.com - wrote on the 28th Jan 09 in his article on boxing on TV

"Last September began the open market era, when promoters were free to book dates on the network. Things didn't go quite as planned, until their December 11 edition, when top contenders Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham threw down in one of the great cruiserweight wars in boxing history.

The bout several hailed as 2008's Fight of the Year ended with Adamek becoming just the fifth fighter in the division's history to claim its lineal claim, riding three knockdowns and fending off a late round surge by Cunningham to take a well-deserved split decision."

Tim Starks - www.queensberry-rules.com - wrote (9th Feb 09) in his article In The Interest Of Establishing Real Boxing Champions, A List

CRUISERWEIGHT (200 lbs.)

Champion: Tomasz Adamek

Prospects: This one just got unified in December. It looks like Adamek is going to hang around for a bit, although he's hinted he might some day head to heavyweight. Adamek plans to be busy, so the belt may change hands, but it looks like we'll have a real cruiserweight king for a while one way or the other. A good bout versus Jonathan Banks is up next, and #1-ranked Steve Cunningham could be soon thereafter (keep your fingers crossed for that rematch), or maybe even Bernard Hopkins.

Ken Hissner - www.doghouseboxing.com - wrote (12th February 09) in his article Why is Steve "USS" Cunningham being ignored?

Cunningham lost his title by controversial split decision in December to Tomasz Adamek of Poland Cunningham is #3. Adamek showed he wanted nothing to do with a Cunningham rematch

The fight between Cunningham and Adamek over VERSUS was a great fight that not only merits a rematch but should make both fighters very viewable for television.

Dan Hernandez - www.ringleaderfightnews.com - in his article (12th February 09) Steve "USS" Cunningham, Once and Future Cruiserweight World Champion

Adamek, instead of defending against Cunningham and repeating their "Fight of the Year" nominated classic bout, has opted to defend against Johnathon Banks.

Scott Christ - www.badlefthook.com - wrote (17th Feb 09) Steve Cunningham: Still boxing's nicest man

Cunningham has a fight coming up with Wayne "Big Truck" Brathwaite with a date to be announced. I don't like to "root" usually, but USS Cunningham and Adamek need to get it on again, so I'm hoping they both win their upcoming bouts and clash in a rematch later this year. That's the cruiserweight fight everyone wants to see as far as I can tell, not that Adamek-Banks and Cunningham-Brathwaite aren't pretty good, too.

Associated Press - www.ap.com - wrote (28th Feb 09) Adamek defends IBF cruiserweight belt with eighth-round KO of Banks

Cunningham was on hand for the bout and could be in line for a rematch of their thrilling fight last December, which Adamek won by split decision in the same arena.

Tom Snares - www.eastsideboxing.com - wrote (28th Feb 09) Adamek Stops Banks in Eight

Clearly, Adamek showed that his victory over Steve "USS" Cunningham in late 2008 was no fluke. A rematch with Cunningham now looms, though names like Marco Huck, Enzo Maccarinelli, Guillermo Jones and Giacobbe Fragomeni must be taken into account as well.

Michael Woods - www.thesweetscience.com - wrote (28th Feb 09) Kronk Kayoed: Adamek Stops Banks

See that photo up there? That is Tomasz Adamek in action against Steve Cunningham on Dec. 11, 2008. That scrap took place a mere 79 days ago, and it was no snoozer. This was a violent clash, with both men dishing out and absorbing countless telling blows. Both men earned a good six months off. But Adamek, after the win, in which he snagged Cunningham's IBF cruiserweight title belt, didn't want the down time.

Jake Donovan - www.boxingscene.com - wrote (28th February 09) Tomasz Adamek Overcomes, Cracks The Banks in Eight

Just eleven weeks after winning in a Fight of the Year candidate in the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, lineal cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek offered an entry for Knockout of the Year, stopping previously unbeaten Johnathon Banks in eight rounds in the same arena.

Cunningham was perhaps the most interested ringside observer in the arena for this fight, having longed for a rematch ever since the end of their epic battle last December.

Paul Strauss - www.eastsideboxing.com - wrote (28th Feb 09) Adamek & Lorenzo Score KO's & Glen Johnson Dominates Judah

Farhood and Charles both expressed a desire to see a rematch between Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek.

Keith Idec - www.northjersey.com - wrote (1st March 09) Adamek turns his attention to next bout

NEWARK &emdash; A playful, smiling Steve Cunningham waved a Polish flag early Saturday morning.

The media members that surrounded him were busy beating the drums for his anticipated rematch against Tomasz Adamek.

Philadelphia's Cunningham and Secaucus' Adamek engaged in one of the most memorable brawls of 2008 on Dec. 11 at Prudential Center. Adamek dropped Cunningham (21-2, 11 KOs) three times en route to a split-decision win, but the remarkable back-and-forth action left fight fans clamoring for an immediate rematch.

Adamek, meanwhile, likely will fight in the main event of a summertime card at The Rock. Cunningham probably won't be his opponent, though.

"We all know we're going to see [the Adamek-Cunningham] fight again someday," Duva said. "We just don't know when."

When depends on executives at HBO or Showtime providing a rights fee for broadcasting Adamek-Cunningham II that is commensurate to the fan-friendly nature of their first fight.

"It's not up to me," Adamek said. "I am a boxer. If the television [people] will come with a great deal, why not? I will fight everybody, Steve Cunningham included."

Patrick Mullin - www.411Mania - wrote (5th Mar '09) Why Cunningham vs. Adamek II NEEDS to Happen

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.

Tim Starks - www.queensberry-rules.com - wrote (6th March 09)

As we discussed in the open thread this week, I'm torn between cruiserweight champ Tomasz Adamek fighting Steve Cunningham or Bernard Hopkins. I do lean toward favoring Adamek-Cunningham II, because the first was so good, with the winner fighting Hopkins. But Hopkins is also continuing to push for a rematch with Joe Calzaghe. I can't say I'm all-fire interested in that "II," and besides, I don't think it'll happen...

Ryan Songalia - www.boxingscene.com - (9th March '09) in his article "Tomasz Adamek Enjoying The View From The Top"

Steve Cunningham, whom Adamek bested to become cruiserweight champion last year in a Fight of the Year candidate, believes that if Hopkins comes into the fight at his intended weight, he can defeat Adamek handily.

TK Stewart - www.boxingscene.com - (10th March '09) in his article Adamek vs. Golota - The Polish Fight of The Century wrote

Then of course here is the tantalizing rematch with the man that Adamek took the cruiserweight title from, Philadelphia's Steve Cunningham.

Lee Payton - www.theboxingbulletin.com - wrote in his article (16th Mar 09) Next Challenge for BHop: Adamek's Cruiserweight Title

I couldn't possibly do justice to his incredible title-winning victory over Philadelphian, Steve Cunningham in one of 2008's very best fights. If you have seen it, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't... find a copy!

Daniel Poland - www.ringsidereport.com - wrote in his article (30th Mar 09) The Options for Cruiserweight Champion Tomasz Adamek

The fight would take place at The Prudential Centre, Newark, New Jersey, on December 11th, 2008. It was such a fantastic fight and most definitely a fight of the year contender, it produced in my opinion the round of the year in round four.

Matthew Hurley - www.secondsout.com - wrote in his article (31st March 09) The Ongoing Heavyweight Mess

Perhaps a ban, or at least a boycott, of the heavyweight division would change that general perception and a fight like the thrilling Tomaz Adamek &endash; Steve Cunningham cruiserweight championship would have received more notice.

Main Events promoter Kathy Duva also said at the post fight presser

"It was the fight of the year of 2008,"