Below are links to some of the many on-line fight reports and articles regarding Cunningham vs Adamek as well as specific articles on Steve or Tomasz this section is updated on a daily basis sometimes with archived material.

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15rounds.com - 1st January 2009 By Anson Wainwright Looking into the 2009 Crystal Ball of Boxing Casting a gaze into my crystal ball I'm going to attempt to predict what the future holds for the entire world champion in all 17 divisions. The big boys at Heavyweight are ruled by the brothers Klitschko at the moment. Word is that Vitali will fight David Haye in the summer in London. It's a bad style match up for Haye who despite a speed advantage will be considerably under powered. Vitali is a much tougher shell to crack than Wladimir who has in the passed been a little weak in the chin department. I have a feeling Vitali will stop Haye inside five with Haye moving in and out but his tendency to enjoy a tear up will cost him as one of Vitali's bomb's will land and put Haye down and out. Another former Cruiserweight champion who's after Vitali is Juan Carlos Gomez who is the WBC mandatory again Klitschko will be to tough and stop Gomez. For more click here...

espn.com - 31st December 2008 Rafael's Fights of the Year By Dan Rafael Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez had already etched their names in boxing history with their back-to-back junior featherweight wars in 2007. Marquez, the former bantamweight champion, had moved up in weight to challenge Vazquez for the title in their first explosive confrontation in March and won the fight of the year candidate via seventh-round TKO when Vazquez could not continue because of a serious nose injury. Had the fighters not faced each other again in 2007, the bout might have stood the test of time as the year's best. Five months later, however, their August rematch trumped the first fight. This time, Vazquez regained the title via sixth-round knockout in a battle that was even more sensational, ferocious and action-packed than the first installment. It was universally hailed as the fight of the year. For more click here...

ringsidereport.com - 31st December 2008 RSR's Year in Review: 2008 (Manny Pacquiao Takes RSR Fighter of the Year Award) Compiled by Brian Wilbur Happy New Year readers! Before we look ahead to what we have in store for 2009, let us look back at the terrific year that boxing had in 2008. We saw some epic fights and great fighters doing great things. These annual awards take you back in remembrance of the highs and the lows in the boxing world for the calendar year. I hope you enjoy and as always, I would love to hear your feedback. The Buster Douglas Upset of the Year Award &endash; Manny Pacquiao TKO8 Oscar De La Hoya Although the betting line had Oscar De La Hoya as only a 2 to 1 favorite, a vast majority of boxing writers were picking Oscar to beat Pacquiao. De La Hoya had been about four weight classes bigger than Manny his entire career, and in boxing, size makes a huge difference. For more click here...

411mania.com - 31st December 2008 2008 End of Year Boxing Awards: The Scrappys! (Round Two) Posted by Ryan Kaye Wondering who was the best of the best this year? 411mania.com and "3 More Rounds" tallied up the votes, and you're about to find out who receives the coveted Scrappy Awards! If this were an actual awards show, this is where we would have some huge over-the-top beyond-the-budget musical numbers about boxing. Lucky for everyone, this is not an actual show, because I'm really not that good on "Eye of the Tiger" on Rock Band 2 yet. So we're just going to kick it off by giving out more of the 2008 Scrappy Awards! We start with Prospect of the Year. For more click here...

SportingLife.com - 30th December 2008 BOXING HIGHLIGHTS OF 2008 By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport The year 2008 will be remembered as a good one for British boxing, as Joe Calzaghe maintained his unbeaten record, Ricky Hatton experienced career redemption and David Haye emerged as a major heavyweight of note. On a global scale, the trend towards global carnival-style fights gave a cause for concern but there was no doubt about the fighter of the year after Manny Pacquiao's stunning stoppage win over Oscar De La Hoya. For more click here...

mightygloves.com - 29th December 2008 2008: The Years Best By Judi Abate It's that time of year again, Santa has come and gone and New Year's is just around the corner. The final bell has rung for the end of the boxing year 2008. Boxing scribes are busy reviewing tapes, reading articles and chatting with their friends in the business in order to come up with a list of the best of 2008. Of course, the Manny versus Oscar fight was a big event for fight fans this year but it was hardly the only fight on the planet. I have make my choices for some of the best boxing this year had to offer and I'm looking forward to a more exciting, enjoyable and entertaining 2009 in the squared circle. Keep Boxing Strong! The Years Best For more click here...

MiamiHerald.com - 29th December 2008 SPOTLIGHT | ON BOXING Pacquiao headlines up-and-down 2008 BY SANTOS A. PEREZ Out with old and in with the new. Boxing might have found a fresh crossover attraction in 2008. And the sport desperately needs it. Manny Pacquiao's victories over Juan Manuel Marquez, David Diaz earlier in the year and his signature performance against Oscar De La Hoya four weeks ago finally could provide a needed fresh personality to generate appeal beyond boxing's hard-core fans. Taking advantage of the attention common of De La Hoya fights, Pacquiao stopped the sport's most popular fighter in eight rounds. The native of the Philippines perhaps ushered in a new era and finally cut the For more click here...

BoxingTalk.com - 29th December 2008 DREAM FIGHTS FOR 2009 By Ryan Burton 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. 1. Antonio Margarito-Paul Williams II... Margarito vs Cotto II should be an action packed fight, but this one could be better. In their first fight, Margarito had one of his typical slow starts and Williams pitty-patted him with soft punches, although at a remarkable work rate. Margarito came on late in that fight but not soon enough to win the decision. Since then, Margarito's stock has soared with his wins over Kermit Cintron and Cotto. If he can beat Sugar Shane Mosely in January and win a rematch with Cotto (neither one is a small task) then a Williams rematch would be a true gem of a matchup. Since beating Margarito, Williams was upset by Quintana but came back with a vengeance by knocking Quintana out in the first round in their rematch. He then went up to 160 and destroyed Andy Kolle in a first-round TKO. In his fourth fight of 2008, he went down to 154 and overcame a nasty cut from an early headbutt to score a TKO against tough Verno Phillips. Hopefully Williams will be fighting Winky Wright in their rumored upcoming bout in April which will only heighten demand for this possible showdown with Margarito towards the end of the year. For more click here...

BadLeftHook.com - 29th December 2008 Bad Left Hook's Top 20 Fights of 2008 by Scott Christ I don't profess to having seen every fight, but I try to see every major fight (at least) that's available live, and I try to catch big overseas fights, and if someone says a fight was good, I sure try to track it down and get a copy of it. This list is not definitive, nor am I trying to present it as such. It's really just for fun and discussion, as every list like this is. There's no accounting for taste. Without further ado, here's the Bad Left Hook 20 for 2008. For more click here...

MaxBoxing.Com - 28th December 2008 The Cruiserweights are the New Heavyweights By Brett Conway The Valuev-Holyfield robbery in Zurich on December 20 showed us two things. First, it proved that boxing judges in Switzerland are like that country's clocks: cuckoo. Second, it reminded us of all that is wrong with the heavyweight division. It can give us neither a good fight, a just decision, nor a champion. This fight was a joke. Former cruiserweight and heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield danced around like Muhammad Ali for 12 rounds, but even for a man in his mid-forties, he threw few punches; Nikolay Valuev stalked in the pose of a fierce fighter, but offered little beside a tentative jab. After twelve rounds, it "seemed" Holyfield had won 9 of 12 rounds, winning the heavyweight bauble around the flabby Russian's waist. The judges, though, knew not "seems." They gave a majority decision to Valuev, the kind of decision we have seen before for the Russian. He got similar verdicts in wins over American John Ruiz and Canadian heavyweight champion Jean Francois Bergeron. As for Holyfield, even though he "lost," many hope that this is the end of his time in the ring. We don't want a rematch; we don't want confirmation of a headline from the satirical online newspaper "the Onion" that Holyfield's "quest for severe brain damage keeps him fighting." He has done enough for boxing. For more click here...

ESPN.com - 28th December 2008 Round Of The Year Report By Dan Rafael When Kendall Holt and Ricardo Torres met for the first time in September 2007, Torres won in his native Colombia with an 11th-round TKO to retain a junior welterweight title in a controversy-filled fight. Both fighters were knocked down and the bout was marred by flying debris from the crowd, questionable refereeing and a shaky stoppage. A rematch was inevitable and it was set for Las Vegas on July 5. Little did anyone know that it would provide all the fireworks you could ask for on the holiday weekend as Holt claimed the title in jaw-dropping style. Rather than a long, grinding fight like their first encounter, the sequel produced an entire fight worth of blazing action in a mere 61 seconds. For more click here...

15rounds.com - 24th December 2008 2008 End of the Year Awards By Joon Lee Complaints of excessively growing number of pay-per-views somewhat dominated inside the journalistic circle of boxing. HBO's production or lack there of, continues to befuddle many, including those who have ungenerously expressed their thoughts through articles across the web in year 2008. While the search for the next great heavyweight grows persistent, we continue to forget about the Klitschkos, who have steadily built their resume as the best of the division. I mean, who else is there really? But on a positive note, much of the action produced this year has been quite astounding. In regards to quality match-ups that surfaced throughout, there's been plenty to be remembered for years to come. 2009 will arrive shortly, and it's just about that time again, as we reflect on the memorable moments that graced us all in the last twelve months. For more click here...

MaxBoxing.Com - 23rd December 2008 Cunningham Wants a Rematch and So Do We By Thomas Gerbasi Boxing's a funny game. Not 'Ha-Ha' funny, but strange funny, which brings us to the case of Steve Cunningham. Less than two weeks ago, Cunningham was the IBF cruiserweight champion of the world, but fairly unknown to the non-hardcore boxing fanbase; this, despite Cunningham being victorious in 21 of 22 fights, winning and defending his title in Europe, and being an all-round good guy. On December 11th, Cunningham lost his crown in a torrid 12 rounder against Tomasz Adamek that saw the US Navy vet hit the deck three times but still do enough that one judge and many observers saw him winning the fight. In most sports, you lose, you're off the radar. For more click here...

BoxingInsider.com - 23rd December 2008 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. We spoke with the history-making Polish gladiator about his big win, who he wants next, and moreÉ Boxinginsider: Awesome performance vs. Cunningham, how did you feel about it? Tomasz Adamek: "I'm very happy, very satisfied because I win. I got hit a couple of times but very pleased. I win my second world title. Boxinginsider: Were there any surprises in the fight from Cunningham which you did not expect? Tomasz Adamek: I was surprised he wasn't attacking, he was always backing up, always on the defensive. I trained for him to be attacking but it was just the opposite. Boxinginsider: Why do you think that was? Why do you think he fought like that? Tomasz Adamek: I think he was afraid because I was a heavy hitter. And he was afraid to be in a brawl with me. That's why he got knocked down three times because he was backing up. For more click here...

CBC.ca - 23rd December 2008 The 2008 CBCSports.ca Boxing Awards by Chris Iorfida There was a lot to offer in 2008 in the fight game, and without further ado here are the 2nd annual Final Bell awards. FIGHTER OF THE YEAR Manny Pacquiao Who else could it be? The only comparable for what Pacquiao did was legend Henry Armstrong holding three titles simultaneously nearly 70 years ago. The Pacman dropped Juan Manuel Marquez en route to winning a narrow decision at junior lightweight, pounded David Diaz relentlessly for a lightweight stoppage, and jumped up nearly 10 pounds as a welter to effectively retire Oscar De La Hoya as a serious entity. For more click here...

NorthJersey.com - 19th December 2008 2008 Boxing Awards - Herald News 2008 Boxing Awards Fighter of the year: Manny Pacquiao. The fearless Filipino star beat Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez by split decision in a junior lightweight title fight March 15 in Las Vegas, dominated David Diaz to win the WBC lightweight title June 28 in Las Vegas and destroyed heavily favored Oscar De La Hoya en route to a TKO victory at welterweight Dec. 6 in Las Vegas. Runners-up: Joe Calzaghe; Antonio Margarito. Last year's winner: Kelly Pavlik. 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. To Read the full Herald News 2008 Boxing awards click here...

DiamondBoxing.com - 12th December 2008 Adamek Captures IBF Cruiserweight Title Fans Scream For A Rematch NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Tomasz Adamek captured the IBF cruiserweight title Thursday with a split-decision victory over Steve Cunningham at the Prudential Center. Judge Clark Sammartino scored the fight 114-112 in favor of Cunningham, but Shafeeq Rashada and John Stewart gave the decision to the Polish challenger, 115-112 and 116-110, respectively. The former WBC light heavyweight champion, Adamek (36-1, 24 KOs) sent Cunningham to the canvas three times, knocking down the native of Philadelphia late in the second, fourth and eighth rounds. The 32-year-old wasn't as busy as Cunningham but more accurate, landing 39 percent of his 480 punches while his opponent scored on 30 percent of his 640 attempts. "A little ring rust, but no excuses," said Cunningham, who was in the ring for the first time in almost a year. "Those flash knockdowns are what did it. It's my fault." Making the second defense of the title he won on May 26, 2007, when he avenged his first career loss against Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, Cunningham was knocked down just as the bell sounded to end the second round when a sweeping left hand by Adamek connected with the top of his head. For more click here...

Eastsideboxing.com - 19th December 2008 Cunningham-Adamek: Did Public Really Appreciate This Fight? By Jason Peck: We hear a lot of complaining about the sport nowadays. There's no great match-ups, and no great fights like they used to have them back in the days of [insert bygone era here]. Recently we watched such a great fight. But it to seems to have been forgotten in record time. Steve Cunnignham and Tomasz Adamek proved the Golden Boy theory of promotions wrong: You don't need good looks, mainstream appeal or an HBO series to stage an amazing brawl. But a week later I'm baffled by the lukewarm reception this inspired scrap has received from the boxing public. You would think the haters would quit it about a "dying" sport after such a scuffle. Why haven't they? Maybe I'm wrong here. Maybe Cunningham-Adamek was so damned good that no discussion is needed. On the other hand, this is probably a depressing commentary on how susceptible people are to hype and name recognition over talent and meaning. For more click here...

BadLeftHook.com - 17th December 2008 Tomato Cans: If you were expecting newly-crowned cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek to go right into a rematch with Steve Cunningham, I hope you didn't count your chickens. Adamek appears headed for a March 21 bout with IBF mandatory B.J. Flores. If you've never seen Flores fight, you frankly haven't missed a whole lot. His last bout came in February, when he outpointed popular Darnell "Ding-a-Ling Man" Wilson on ESPN2. I thought he clearly won that fight, but he absolutely did so in an unappealing fashion that won't make him popular with the action fans. I think Flores is closer to a "Contender" fighter than he is an actual contender against the division's best, and I'd expect Adamek to have little trouble with him. He was able to avoid Wilson's power because Wilson cannot box. Adamek can box, and he has power. I don't suddenly think Adamek is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but he's underrated, has been for years, and I damn sure think he's better than Flores. As for the fight taking place ahead of Adamek-Cunningham II, it happens. He's getting rid of a mandatory, and I can't fault him. For full article click here

Fightnews.com - December 11th 2008 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,on Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The fight swung back and forth like a pendulum as both fighters had their moments. In the end it was three knockdowns by Adamek that seemed to sway the bout as the judges awarded the polish warrior the well-deserved split decision victory and the IBF cruiserweight belt. For more click here...

StrictlyBusinessBoxing.com - December 11th 2008 Adamek Hits Cunningham Broadside, Takes IBF Cruiserweight Title! December 11th, Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey: In a cruiserweight fight where power punches were the difference Steve USS Cunningham was hit broadside three times by Tomasz "Goral" Adamek knocking him to the canvas at the end of 2nd round, at the end of 4th round and in the 8th round of their IBF championship fight. Cunningham the champion making his second title defense opened quick using his reach and a snapping jab to reach and keep the pressing Pole at bay. For more click here...

MondoBoxe.com - 13th December 2008 Adamek supera dopo un match spettacolare Cunningham L'incontro ha regalato grande spettacolo e continui capovolgimenti di fronte. Probabilmente la maggiore potenza di Adamek è stata determinante, anche se va dato atto a Cunningham di essersi battuto al meglio e di aver reso il confronto incerto fino al termine. USS è finito al tappeto nella seconda, quarta e ottava ripresa. Ma anche lui ha avuto i suoi momenti approfittando del sinistro spesso basso di Goral per sorprenderlo da qualla parte con il gancio e scuoterlo in più occasioni, seppur senza mai riuscire ad atterrarlo. Diversi sono stati i round di difficile assegnazione anche se i tre atterramenti hanno avuto un peso notevole sull'esito finale. For more click here...

TheSweetScience.com - 11th December 2008 What A Doozy! Adamek Fells Cunningham On Vs. Welcome Versus. You've been a presence in the boxing world this year, but only in a decidedly mediocre fashion. Your cards have been irregular, and of spotty quality. No offense, Vs. But you've opened the eyes of TSS with the doozy feature bout you showed us on Thursday evening, the one pitting IBF cruiserweight champion Steve "USS" Cunningham and rugged Pole Tomasz Adamek blasting away at each other from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Adamek sent Cunningham, whose ripped physique doesn't translate into an abundance of punching power but does serve as an attractive vehicle for his massive heart and cajones, three times, but still 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. For more click here...

BadLeftHook.com - 11th December 2008 Adamek tops Cunningham in a barnburner Former light heavyweight tilist Tomasz Adamek knocked Steve Cunningham down three times, but the fight was in doubt until the official scores were read after a thrilling bout that no doubt takes its place among 2008's Fight of the Year contenders. Adamek, performing for a wonderful crowd in Newark that heavily favored him over the Philadelphia-bred Cunningham, put the now former IBF titlist down at the very end of the second round, again in the fourth, and yet again in the eighth. The fourth round knockdown was the most interesting, as Cunningham was so dominating the round that it would have been 10-8 for sure. Suddenly, Adamek snapped him back and floored him, and that changed it to at least a 10-9 round for the Pole. For more click here...

Queensberry-Rules.com - 12th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek - Steve Cunningham Video; Fight Of The Year? For those boxing fans without Versus -- and I know too many who go without -- Thursday night heralded its official arrival as a real player on the boxing scene with its broadcast of a great card headlined by the tremendous cruiserweight (200 lbs.) championship fight between Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham. Every boxing fan should lobby their satellite or cable providers to make Versus part of a basic package. Until then, 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 more click here...

DoghouseBoxing.com - 15th December 2008 Boxing Fight of the Year Candidate: Tomasz Adamek Floors Steve Cunningham and takes his Title! Don King and Main Events teamed up to put on a great event in a top notch boxing facility in the Prudential arena "The Rock" in the Brick City, Newark, New Jersey. This was the first professional boxing show in "The Rock" and the first title fight in the Brick City, Newark, New Jersey since Rocky Graziano fought Tony Zale in Ruppert Stadium back on June 10th, 1948. Newark is a great boxing city that is often overshadowed by Philidelphia and New York, but anyone from the area knows that the Brick City fighters are as tough as they come. The main event of the evening showcased two fighters who deserve more recognition then they get. In that main event, former WBC light heavy weight champ, Tomasz Adamek, 35-1, 24 KO's won an exciting split decision over IBF cruiserweight champion Steve "USS" Cunningham, 35-1, 24 KO's. The Polish fans were out in the masses. They are great fans who always come out to support Polish-American fighters and add to the excitement if the shows they fight on. Cunningham had his Philadelphia fans make the trip north to Newark as well. For more click here...

DoghouseBoxing.com - 17th December 2008 Cunningham-Adamek in Fight of the Year! Boxing received the shot in the arm it needed last Thursday night as IBF Cruiserweight champion Steve "USS" Cunningham, 21-2 (11), of Philadelphia lost a controversial split decision to Poland's Tomasz Adamek, 36-1 (24), at the new Prudential Center, in Newark, New Jersey. At a time when boxing has been fed Pacquiao-De La Hoya, 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! With thousands of Polish fans in the Newark area attending, and flags all over the arena, the pro Adamek crowd may have influenced two of the judges along with the 3 knockdowns that Adamek scored while otherwise being outsmarted by the now former champion Cunningham. Referee Earl Morton had an easy night of it. For more click here...

SecondsOut.com - 12th December 2008 Adamek Beats Cunningham in 12 Round Thriller By Michael Norby: In a strong contender for fight of the year, former light heavyweight boxing world champion Tomasz Adamek gained the IBF cruiserweight world title on Thursday night with a highly entertaining split decision win over Steve Cunningham at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA, televised on the Versus network. This was a much anticipated battle between the two best cruiserweights in the world and, after twelve rounds of blistering action; both contestants proved that there are none better amongst the 200lbers. Cunningham 21-2 (11) despite kissing the canvas three times throughout the contest, engaged Adamek 36-1 (24) in fantastic back and forth action throughout the fight before dropping a narrow split decision. For more click here...

ESPN.com - 12th December 2008 Adamek-Cunningham a late contender for FOY honors NEWARK, N.J. -- On at least two occasions in recent years, Wladimir Klitschko (against Samuel Peter in '05) and Peter himself (versus Jameel McCline at the Garden in October '07) have demonstrated it is mathematically possible to get knocked down three times and still win a fight, but when a boxer goes down for the hat trick he's dug himself a pretty deep hole. In Steve Cunningham's case it was one he could not, in the end, escape. If Don King and Kathy Duva had had any idea what an aesthetic triumph the sinking of the USS Cunningham would turn out to be, it wouldn't have taken place on the wrong side of the Hudson River. Just five nights after Oscar De La Hoya picked the collective pockets of the boxing public on his way out the door, Tomasz Adamek and Cunningham put on an unforgettable show in Newark. And nobody paid $59.95 to watch this one. All you needed was a television set and regular cable. For more click here...

RingsideReport.com - 12th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek Captures IBF Gold on Versus There was no reluctance in the eyes of the "USS" Cunningham Thursday night. After all, he's been used to going in foreign lands to representing his higher calling as a prizefighter, one who stands to be remembered for a historical sense&emdash;as he'd be the last American standing in battle. Former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve "USS" Cunningham, 21-2, 11 KO's, having no sanctuary that you could talk about, conjured and rekindled the kinds of spirits as in the old timersÉ to bringing away a sort of sustained action Rocky Graziano and Tony Zale would be proud of. Gone were the large hats and engulfing cigar aromas that filled the center; and so were the huge typewriters ringside with squashed empty packs of old Winston's and Lucky Strikes on the floor; but you swore hearing even with the roars of crowds clicking typewriter's beyond reproach accompanied deafening feet. For more click here...

BraggingRightsCorner.com - 12th December 2008 ADAMEK SPLIT DECISION AN IBF CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE WINNER... In a competitive battle for the IBF Cruiserweight strap, past light heavy champ Tomasz Adamek hung on to claim the bauble over defending title holder Steve "USS" Cunningham via split decision. Adamek the quicker out of the gate, gets the early jump scoring knockdowns in stanzas two and four - both rounds saw Cunningham having the edge until on the receiving end of the Polish veteran right hands. Cunningham then showed strong recovery ability and desire, as he grabs numbers five and six - problem is them early 10-8 rounds coupled with knockdown number three in pivotal stanza eleven would send the "USS" Cunningham to dry dock for repairs - at least on two of the three scoring judges sheets. Tallies went Adamek 116-110, 115-112 Cunningham 114-112 - it was that kind of fight, with most stanzas of the coin flip variety and a strong argument for a return engagement. For more click here...

BloodyElbow.com - 12th December 2008 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. This was a bout for the Ring Magazine and IBF Cruiserweight Championship between two guys who presented a bit of a classic contrast. Adamek wants to walk you down and punish you while Cunningham wants to use his 80+ inch reach to keep outside and land power shots once he starts to blind you with it. The cruiserweight division is very good for delivering these kind of action fights as you have guys who are big enough to throw bombs but who don't gas after four rounds. For more click here...

8CountNews.com - 12th December 2008 Adamek scores split decision over Cunningham The first time I caught a live look at Tomasz Adamek was in October of 2006 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont , Illinois . Then the WBC Light Heavyweight Champion of the world, Adamek successfully defended his belt against rugged Australian Paul Briggs in a heavily anticipated rematch. I already knew that Adamek was a true competitor with ample heart, but seeing him go toe to toe with Briggs live and in living color really made me appreciate just how much dedication he had for the sport. The crowd at the Allstate Arena was hea vily Polish and being in the middle of their chaotic cheers for Adamek only added to the suspense and intrigue of his fight. For more click here...

BoxingScene.com - 13th December 2008 Steve Cunningham Hungry For an Adamek Rematch Former IBF cruiserweight champion Steve "USS" Cunningham's hometown of Philadelphia, PA is about 85 miles southwest of Newark, NJ. But given the partisan crowd in attendance to witness his second title defense against Tomasz Adamek, he might as well have been in Warsaw. The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ was brightly adorned with red and white flags in support of the Polish transplant who now makes his home in Jersey City. For Cunningham, who had fought his three previous fights abroad, the hostile audience was nothing new to him. "I've fought in Poland and Germany with 5,000 Germans and Polish people chanting," says Cunningham, now 21-2 (11 KO). "It didn't bother me. I heard my 'USS' and 'USA' chants so I had people there, too." For more click here...

New York Daily News - 12th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek wins dramatic Newark bout There hadn't been a championship boxing match in Newark for 60 years until Thursday night, when Steve Cunningham defended his IBF cruiserweight title against Tomasz Adamek at the Prudential Center. And after 12 grueling rounds in which Cunningham battered Adamek and Adamek pummeled Cunninghman, it was well worth the wait. In a see-saw battle that saw Cunningham hit the canvas three times, Adamek, a former light heavyweight world champion, scored a 12-round split decision to take the title. "He was a tough challenge. I expected him to be. He was the champion," Adamek said. "Cunningham is a tough guy, but he doesn't have a punch. My style made the difference." Judge Clark Sammartino scored the fight 114-112 for Cunningham, but John Stewart scored it 116-110 for Adamek and Shafeeq Rashada scored it 115-112 for Adamek. The Daily News scored it a draw (113-113). There was enough action to make the match a "Fight of the Year" candidate. For more click here...

BleacherReport.com - 11th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek Steals Fourth to Claim 200-Pound Title Before anyone jumps on me for this headline, maybe the word "steals" is a little harsh. Even calling Tomasz Adamek's fourth-round knockdown of Steve Cunningham lucky would be a stretch. But at the very least it was fortuitous. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Adamek, the undisputed Cruiserweight champion of the world, and Steve Cunningham have just turned in a "Fight of the Year" candidate tonight on Versus. After a tentative start, a surprising, or rather unexpected, second, third, and fourth rounds, the two warriors got down to brass tacks and beginning in the tenth, the two traded shot for shot for the last three rounds. For more click here...

Queensberry-Rules.com - 12th December 2008 Final Notes From Newark On The Adamek - Cunningham Card NEWARK, N.J. -- I've got three hours to wait for my train back to D.C., so I'll share every last thought I have and every last note from my notebook rather than twiddle my thumbs. The show sold around 5,200 tickets, according to a Prudential Center representative, which isn't bad in this economy; folk involved with the fight seemed happy with that number. What I liked was how much the crowd was into the cruiserweight (200 lbs.) main event. Certainly, they could have taken a little bit more interest in the main undercard bout, the bantamweight (118 lbs.) alphabet title belt fight between Joseph Agbeko and William Gonzalez, given what an excellent fight it was. But they were so noisy during Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham that you have to forgive them. Now, the fans who booed Cunningham during his Versus interview should be ashamed of themselves. I guess I'll take a little lack of class if it's from an engaged audience, and that's what this was... For more click here...

BoxingScene.com - 11th December 2008 Adamek Beats Cunningham, Claims IBF Title in a Classic It took over fifteen years for Evander Holyfield's claim to the lineal World Cruiserweight championship to be filled again. 32-year old Tomasz Adamek (36-1, 24 KO) of Poland needed only a few months to fill the vacancy left earlier this year when David Haye moved up to heavyweight. On this night at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey no win missed him. Topping off what may have been Boxing's most crowd pleasing television doubleheader of the year, Adamek captured the IBF Cruiserweight and vacant Ring Magazine titles in an epic split decision war with 32-year old incoming IBF titlist Steve Cunningham (21-2, 11 KO) that will stand the test of time as one of the greatest battles ever seen in the almost three-decades of recorded Cruiserweight action. For more click here...

411mania.com - 12th December 2008 Adamek Sinks "USS" Cunningham's Battleship Imagine a heavyweight bout... with action. That was tonight's IBF/The Ring cruiserweight championship clash between Steve Cunningham and Tomasz Adamek. 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. Tomasz Adamek went to war with "USS" Steve Cunningham for twelve solid rounds with Cunningham's IBF cruiserweight title and The Ring's cruiserweight championship on the line. At times, you were sure this fight belonged to Cunningham, with his solid straight rights and movement. At times, you were sure this fight belonged to Adamek, with the Pole's three knockdowns during the fight. And at times, you weren't sure what was happening, because you just wanted to watch the fight. For more click here...

Queensberry-Rules.com - 12th December 2008 In A Sensational Fight, One Of 2008's Best, Adamek Squeaks By Cunningham NEWARK, N.J. -- 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. That Adamek won and became the lineal cruiserweight (200 lbs.) champion of the world ultimately proved secondary; this was an exceptional fight in every imaginable way, one of those contests that elevates both men and makes the entire sport worth all its heartache. Each round revealed a new dynamic and produced fresh drama in a fight that never once lacked for it. 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." For more click here...

www.rp.pl - 13th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek mistrzem Âwiata IBF. Polak po bardzo dobrej walce odebra©© Amerykaninowi tytu©© w wadze junior ci´żkiej Dwóch s´dziów wypunktowa©©o zwyci´stwo Adamka. John Stewart 116:110 i Rashada Shafeeq 115:112. Trzeci arbiter Clark Sammartino widzia©© zwyci´stwo Steve,a Cunninghama 114:112. Czwartkowy wieczór w Newark (stan New Jersey) przejdzie do historii. Ostatni raz takà walk´ widziano w tym mieÊcie 60 lat temu, gdy Tony Zale (Antoni Florian Zaleski), pi´Êciarz polskiego pochodzenia, znokautowa©© w trzeciej rundzie Rocky'ego Graziano i zdoby©© tytu©© mistrza Êwiata wagi Êredniej. Sparingpartner Adamka, by©©y mistrz kategorii junior ci´żkiej Al Cole, mówi©© przed tym pojedynkiem, że to b´dzie bardzo ci´żka walka. &endash; Cunningham jest sprytnym pi´Êciarzem. Jak ma©©o kto potrafi zastawiaç pu©©apki na rywali i wykorzystywaç przewag´ zasi´gu ramion. Adamek musi atakowaç, bo tylko wtedy może zmusiç Steve'a do b©©´du.W dniu walki Polak waży©© trzy kilogramy wi´cej niż podczas oficjalnego ważenia. Amerykanin by©© lżejszy niż w Êrod´ o ponad kilogram. &endash; Czyżby by©© chory? &endash; zażartowa©© jeden z ameryka®½skich dziennikarzy. For more click here...

Wyborcza.pl - 13th December 2008 Gilowice: Ca©©a parafia cieszy si´ z mistrzowskiego pasa Adamka Wierni z rodzimej parafii boksera Tomasza Adamka nie mogà wyjÊç z podziwu dla umiej´tnoÊci najs©©ynniejszego mieszka®½ca Gilowic, który pokona©© dziÊ w nocy w ameryka®½skim Newark swego przeciwnika i zosta©© mistrzem Êwiata organizacji IBF w wadze junior ci´żkiej. Choç bokser wyprowadzi©© si´ z najbliższà rodzinà za Ocean, każdy w podżywieckiej wsi o nim pami´ta - także w modlitwach. Proboszcz gilowickiej parafii Êw. Andrzeja Aposto©©a ks. Wac©©aw Kozicki przyznaje, że od rana chce zatelefonowaç do swojego parafianina z gratulacjami, ale nie może si´ po©©àczyç. "Dzie®½ przed walkà odprawi©©em Msz´ Êw. w intencji zwyci´stwa Tomka, zamówionà przez jego przyjació©©. PolecaliÊmy jego ca©©à rodzin´ opiece Matki Bożej Rychwa©©dzkiej, do której Tomek żywi tak dużà czeÊç" - mówi wzruszony kap©©an w rozmowie z KAI. For more click here...

Fakty.Interia.pl - 13th December 2008 Granitowa polska szcz´ka Przegra©©em, ale ciesz´ si´, że dziennikarze i kibice wagi junior ci´żkiej w Stanach zobaczyli, jakie potrafià byç walki w tej kategorii. Dlatego porażka boli troch´ mniej - powiedzia©© po walce z polskim mistrzem Êwiata Steve Cunningham. Mia©© racj´ - pojedynek zebra©© entuzjastyczne recenzje, a jego pogromca Tomek Adamek zyskuje bezcennà w Stanach opini´ "polskiego Artura Gatti", pi´Êciarza, którego walk nie wolno przegapiç za żadnà cen´. A to ©©atwo przek©©ada si´ na pieniàdze. Oto niektóre z opinii ameryka®½skich mediów: For more click here...

Wisla.Naszemiasto.pl - 12th December 2008 BOKS "Góral" z Gilowic mistrzem Êwiata IBF "Góral" z Gilowic po raz trzeci w karierze wywalczy©© pas mistrza Êwiata w boksie zawodowym. Po mistrzostwie Êwiata WBC wagi pó©©ci´żkiej i IBO juniorci´żkiej, tym razem Tomasz Adamek si´gnà©© - w tej ostatniej kategorii - po pas mistrza Êwiata federacji IBF, pokonujàc w ameryka®½skim Newark, broniàcego tytu©©u Steve'a Cunninghama niejednog©©oÊnie na punkty 112:114, 116:110, 115:112 Polski pi´Êciarz trzykrotnie - posy©©a©© rywala na deski. Za każdym razem mia©©o to miejsce w ko®½cówce danego starcia. Adamek wykorzystywa©© Êwietne przygotowanie fizyczne i taktyczne. W przeciwie®½stwie do pojedynków rozgrywanych w niższej kategorii, nie musia©© już zbijaç wagi, co negatywnie odbija©©o si´ na jego szybkoÊci. For more click here...

Sports.pl - 12th December 2008 Mistrz Êwiata Tomasz Adamek teraz powalczy z Hopkinsem? W porywajàcej walce Polak pokona©© Steve'a Cunninghama, posy©©ajàc go trzy razy na deski. Czy teraz b´dzie walczy©© ze wspania©©ym Bernardem Hopkinsem? Specjalny serwis o Tomaszu Adamku » To by©© fantastyczny pojedynek, byç może nawet walka roku. Wyczerpanie Polaka by©©o widaç już przed ostatnià, 12. rundà pojedynku o tytu©© w wadze junior ci´żkiej wersji IBF. Trener Andrzej Gmitruk pyta©© zaniepokojony: - Tomek, dasz rad´? Polak wytrwa©©. For more click here...

Bankier.pl - 12th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek mistrzem Êwiata Na ten moment czeka©©o wielu polskich kibiców. W hali Prudential Center w Newark w stanie New Jersey Tomasz Adamek stoczy©© morderczy 12-rundowy bój ze Stevem Cunnighamem. Walka by©©a pasjonujàca, ale to nasz reprezentant zdoby©© mistrzowski pas federacji IBF w wadze junior ci´żkiej. O zwyci´stwie podopiecznego Andrzeja Gmitruka zadecydowa©© werdykt s´dziów. Triumf Polaka jest bezdyskusyjny. DoÊç powiedzieç, że Amerykanin aż trzy razy by©© liczony. Obaj pi´Êciarze stworzyli niezwykle emocjonujàce widowisko. Boksowali dynamicznie, szybko i bardzo aktywnie. Ku uciesze licznej grupy polskich kibiców, która zasiad©©a w hali Prudential Center, dok©©adniejszy i bardziej zdyscyplinowany by©© Tomasz Adamek. W drugiej rundzie 32-letni pi´Êciarz wyprowadzi©© kilka Êwietnych prostych, w efekcie po raz pierwszy pos©©a©© rywala na deski. Zabrak©©o mu jednak czasu, by tuż po liczeniu doko®½czyç dzie©©a i znokautowaç Steve'a Cunninghama. For more click here...

DiamondBoxing.com - 13th December 2008 Fireworks at the Rock - Cunningham and Adamek Fight of the Year What do we get when we take Steve "USS" Cunningham and add Tomasz "Goral" (which translates into 'the Highlander') Adamek? Fireworks. Heavy, well-lit fireworks. Specifically a lightshow that could be seen from Zywiec (Poland, Adamek's hometown). Cunningham, however, might be holding his belt still had he witnessed the displays on his feet. Going into this fight I saw styles that mimicked a matchup between Pavlik-Taylor where we have an aggressive puncher in front of a slick boxer. Or vice versa, whichever your preference may be. In a year of talks about 'the dying sport of boxing', we are reminded that entertaining, competitive fights are still around. I, for one, expected a "USS" boxing lesson with intermittent "Highlander" heavy fists. What I got was that and then some. We have a late, late candidate for Fight of the Year ladies and gentlemen! For more click here...

FightFan.com - 11th December 2008 Cruiserweight showdown tonight: Cunningham vs. Adamek! In an important title showdown, IBF cruiserweight champion Steve 'USS' Cunningham will defend his crown against Tomasz 'Goral' Adamek Thursday night at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey! Steve 'USS' Cunningham (21-1, 11 KOs), an all-American boy, started boxing in the mid-1990's whilst serving in the US Navy aboard the USS America and USS Enterprise as an aircraft refueler, will sail into battle with the former WBO light heavyweight world champion, Tomasz 'Polish Warrior' Adamek (35-1, 24 KOs), at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey Thursday night Dec. 11. For the first defense of his crown 'USS' Cunningham steamed into Germany where he defeated the bookies favourite, Marco Huck, with a twelfth round TKO following the slickest display of boxing seen anywhere last year. For more click here...

CBS Sports - 11th December 2008 Adamek knocks down Cunningham for IBF cruiserweight title NEWARK, N.J. -- Poland's Tomasz Adamek knocked down champion Steve Cunningham three times and won a 12-round split decision to take the International Boxing Federation cruiserweight title Thursday night. Adamek knocked down Cunningham in the second, fourth and eighth rounds. Adamek (36-1) had winning scores from judges John Stewart (116-110) and Shafeeq Rashada (115-112), while Clark Sammartino scored it 114-112 for Cunningham (21-2). The Jersey City-based Adamek -- greeted by chants of "Polska! Polska!" -- floored Cunningham in the closing seconds of the second round with a thunderous right uppercut. Referee Earl Morton allowed Cunningham to continue after a standing eight count. For more click here...

BoxingNews24.com - 15th December 2008 Adamek Defeats Cunningham - Boxing News Former World Boxing Council light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek (36-1, 24 KOs) won a 12-round split decision over IBF cruiserweight Steve Cunningham (21-2, 11 KOs) on Thursday night at the Prudential Center, in Newark, New Jersey. Adamek, 32, hardly fought well, getting dominated in most of the rounds by the champion Cunningham. However, Adamek's power carried him through to victory, allowing him to drop Cunningham in the 2nd, 4th and 8th rounds. In each case, Cunningham appeared off balanced, standing square to Adamek, and wasn't at any time hurt by the knockdowns. Uncharacteristically, Cunningham, 32, came out slugging in the 1st round, nailing the slower Adamek with big looping right hands to the head. Although said by some to have good hand speed, Cunningham's looked only slightly faster than Adamek, who for his part, appeared very slow with his hands and slightly heavy, as if not in the best of shape. Adamek did little in the opening round, looking afraid and moving forward and taking shots to the head. For more click here...

BrickCityBoxing.com - 15th December 2008 Fight of the Year Candidate in the Brick City! Tomasz Adamek Floors Steve Cunningham three times and Takes His Title By: Danny Serratelli, ringside Don King and Main Events teamed up to put on a great event in a top notch boxing facility in the Prudential arena "The Rock" in the Brick City, Newark, New Jersey. This was the first professional boxing show in "The Rock" and the first title fight in the Brick City, Newark, New Jersey since Rocky Graziano fought Tony Zale in Ruppert Stadium back on June 10th, 1948. Newark is a great boxing city that is often overshadowed by Philidelphia and New York, but anyone from the area knows that the Brick City fighters are as tough as they come. For more click here...

Pound4Pound.com - 11th December 2008 Post Fight Report : Cunningham Rallies For Rematch Against Adamek By Tim Donaldson In the post fight press conference, Steve Cunningham began a campaign for a rematch with Tomasz Adamek. Cunningham said that he was disappointed with the results of the fight. "Anytime you lose a belt, you should be disappointed, or you're crazy." But he did not feel that he necessarily performed poorly, noting that "We (he and his team) showed the heart of ten champions in there. In the name of Jesus Christ, I did what I did. I do what I do and will continue to do it Adamek caught me with some very good flash knock downs. They were flash. I wasn't hurt. I can take a punch obviously. He's a good fighter. I knew he was a good fighter. But I knew we could out box him. I fell into his plan a few times. But I knew the audience would love to see a rematch." For more click here...

SportsHighlights.org - 16th December 2008 Adamek knocks down Cunningham for cruiserweight title Poland's Tomasz Adamek knocked down champion Steve Cunningham three times and won a 12-round split decision to take the International Boxing Federation cruiserweight title Thursday night. There hadn't been a championship boxing match in Newark for 60 years until Thursday night, when Steve Cunningham defended his IBF cruiserweight title against Tomasz Adamek at the Prudential Center. And after 12 grueling rounds in which Cunningham battered Adamek and Adamek pummeled Cunninghman, it was well worth the wait. In a see-saw battle that saw Cunningham hit the canvas three times, Adamek, a former light heavyweight world champion, scored a 12-round split decision to take the title. For more click here...

TheBostonChannel.com - 11th December 2008 Adamek Beats Cunningham To Grab IBF Cruiserweight Title Poland's Tomasz Adamek knocked down Philadelphia native Steve Cunningham three times before coming away with a split-decision to grab the IBF cruiserweight title Thursday night at the Prudential Center. Cunningham (21-2) was making the third defense of his title, but Adamek (36-1) scored knockdowns in the second, fourth and eighth rounds to earn the tough victory. One judge had the fight scored 114-112 to Cunningham, while the other two had it for Adamek, 116-110 and 115-112. In the final moments of the second round, a stiff left hand put Cunningham on the canvas. In the fourth, with under 30 seconds left, Cunningham was down again, this time by a right hand. However, Cunningham dominated the round and even landed more punches (205-186) during the fight. For more click here...

BoxNews.com.ua - 12th December 2008 Adamek dethrones Cunningham! Former WBC light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek (35-1, 24 KOs) won a split decision over IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham (21-1, 11 KOs) to claim the world title on Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Adamek dropped Cunningham at the bell to end round two, but in round four the champion came back to badly hurt Adamek only to be floored by Adamek again. Adamek also had Cunningham on the deck again in round eight, but Cunningham had his moments also. Scores were 114-112 Cunningham, 116-110, 115-112 Adamek. For more click here...

SecondsOut.com - 11th December 2008 Adamek vs. Cunningham: Post Fight Quotes Although Steve Cunningham insists he was not hurt when he was knocked down during his IBF cruiserweight title defence against Tomasz Adamek on Thursday night he does admit being floored cost him the fight. Speaking after the fight Cunningham said: "My game plan tonight was to box. I thought I had him in the fourth, so I went for a knockout and he caught me. It cost me the fight. That's boxing. "He didn't hit that hard. They were all flash knockdowns. Even though I never felt I was hurt, you've got to give Adamek credit for the knockdowns. Other than that, I put in some good work. I did my best. The judges favored Tomasz tonight, but I'd love to do it again. For more click here...

BoxingFiles.com - 12th December 2008 Tomasz Adamek defeats Steve Cunningham via split decision and captures IBF cruiserweight title In a battle of cruiserweight, former WBC light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek of Poland (35-1, 24 KOs) won by split decision against cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham (21-1, 11 KOs), claiming the world title on Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Adamek dropped Cunninghum three times in their 12 round championship clash. For more click here...

TaiwanNews.com.tw - 13th December 2008 Adamek wins IBF cruiserweight title Poland's Tomasz Adamek knocked down champion Steve Cunningham three times and won a 12-round split decision to take the IBF cruiserweight title late Thursday. Adamek knocked down Cunningham in the second, fourth and eighth rounds. Adamek (36-1) had winning scores from judges John Stewart (116-110) and Shafeeq Rashada (1151-112), while Clark Sammartino scored it 114-112 for Cunningham (21-2). For more click here...

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