Fight Pick & Preview – Fury vs. Cunningham:
On April 20 at MSG, rising young heavyweight contender Tyson Fury takes on former cruiserweight kingpin Steve Cunningham. This will be the British Fury’s first stateside performance and probably his toughest test thus far in his young career. The 24-year-old unbeaten heavyweight will be facing a slick, though severely outsized, opponent in “USS” Cunningham, who was denied rightful victory in his last bout against Tomasz Adamek.
Fury is nice little X-factor in the heavyweight division. He’s 6’9” and has youth on his side at 24 against the 36-year-old Cunningham. Fury has grown from domestic British prospect to legitimate world contender. He beat top guys from his region, including a win over then-unbeaten Dereck Chisora. In his last win, he beat American contender Kevin Johnson on points.
- Date: April 20, 2013
- Site: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
- Weight Class: Heavyweights: 12 Rounds
Tyson Fury, 20-0 (14 KOs), Cheshire, England
vs.
Steve Cunningham, 25-5 (12 KOs), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The towering Brit has improved dramatically over the past several years. At one point, he looked to be simply a big hulking heavyweight with a catchy name. Over time, he has added some refinement and stamina–enhancing his standing in the world of heavyweight boxing. He moves well for a big man, knows how to fight, is ambitious, and is a robust package, especially for an undersized heavyweight like Cunningham.
The battle lines are drawn clearly in this fight. Fury’s size, strength, and youthful vigor will be pitted against the slickness and veteran sensibilities of Cunningham. The American was under 210 for Adamek and will be giving up a few dozen pounds and half-a-foot in height to Fury. Despite all the disadvantages in youth and size, Cunningham is by far the more-skilled and experienced fighter–the more refined study in the art of pugilism.
This fight comes down to whether or not Cunningham will be able to bridge the size and youth gap with his skills and know-how. The Philly vet knows what he’s doing in the ring. He has great skills and is a far sharper fighter than the still-somewhat lumbering Fury. In the past, there have been many smaller heavyweights who were able to beat their supposedly more-formidable opponents with superior skills. Sometimes, these smaller heavyweights are too seasoned and sharp for their more physically-gifted opponents.
Still, the size thing is a major issue. Cunningham was excellent in his heavyweight debut against Adamek, but was facing a guy who was once a light heavyweight titleholder. Fury is a true heavyweight and he is of the super-sized variety. Cunningham, a tall and lanky fighter, is used to being the longer boxer in the ring, but he will be dwarfed in this match-up.
It’s difficult for hardcore boxing fans to not pull for a guy like Cunningham in these kind of spots. It’s as if the sport of boxing is validated when a much-smaller fighter with more advanced skills bests a much bigger fighter who relies more on size and brawn. There is a certain charm that comes with seeing a outsized battler overcome his gigantic foe with superior boxing skills.
If Fury were a hulking heavyweight like Lance Whitaker or a guy like Jameel McCline, I might fancy Cunningham’s chances. It’s just that over time, Fury has added enough wrinkles into his game where he is something more than just a big guy. He has whipped himself into better shape in recent outings. Fury maintains a nice work-rate in the ring, knows how to fight in a pure sense, and is a very insistent fighter in the ring.
There might be stretches in this fight where the superior craft and sharpness of Cunningham will give him the edge. It’s just that he will be walking on the razor’s edge with Fury. Cunningham, unlike Fury, will need to be someone besides who he really is. He will need to be more of an inside fighter and although he will be be given an abundance of countering opportunities, you have to wonder how a fighter like Cunningham will deal with a much longer and bigger opponent.
Fury vs. Cunningham Prediction
I won’t rule out a Cunningham win, but I’d sure like his chances better if he had more pop. While a sharp hitter at cruiserweight, he wasn’t even a knockout puncher in that weight class and might not have enough pop to effectively dissuade the rampaging import. Cunningham has never been stopped in a career that dates back over a dozen years. Still, he touched down in both of his losses to Yoan Hernandez, in addition to taking a count in his bouts with Troy Ross and several in his first fight with Adamek.
I think Cunningham has enough class and wherewithal to last with Fury. Several years ago, when Fury was struggling with the likes of John McDermott, I would have been inclined to take the far-slicker Cunningham. It’s just that Fury is too energetic, young, big, and presents too much overall menace at this point for Cunningham. Fury might not make it to the absolute top of the division, but I don’t think he hits the stop sign here. I see Fury taking a clear decision in his American debut and continuing his rise up the ladder.
Prediction: Tyson Fury wins by unanimous decision.
