By Ian S Palmer
Tyson Fury of England will take on American veteran Steve Cunningham in an IBF heavyweight title elimination bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday April 20. Fury is undefeated with a 20-0 record and 14 Kos while Cunningham has a mark of 25-5 with 12 Kos. Fury is one of the biggest heavyweights around as he weighs about 250 lbs. and stands 6-foot-9.
It’s hard to tell exactly how good the 24-year-old Fury of Cheshire is. He’ll be glad to tell you he’s the best heavyweight in the world, but while he might be a prospect he’s far from being elite. He’s got pretty good movement for a big guy though with good power. His chin’s questionable and the light-hitting Cunningham of Philadelphia might not be the best boxer to test it. Fury does have a good jab and can box as a southpaw and from the orthodox stance.
Fury’s beaten a couple of name fighters in fellow Dereck Chisora and Kevin Johnson and is aiming to get a crack at IBF Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko before the Ukrainian champ decides to hang up his gloves. Cunningham’s not a natural heavyweight though and this will make Fury seem like a giant in the ring. The American has held the IBF Cruiserweight Title on two different occasions, but he’s now 36 years old and his best days are behind him.
He debuted as a heavyweight last September and beat Jason Gavern and he then lost to Tomasz Adamek by a controversial split decision. Cunningham is also mobile and has an excellent jab, but he needs to stay busy against Fury for all three minutes of each round. If he does this, he could pull off a win. He paid the price against Adamek for taking a break in some rounds. He should give Fury problems if he utilizes his speed and keeps him off balance. He may give up a lot of height to Fury, but his reach disadvantage is just three inches.
This is definitely the toughest opponent Fury has faced so far and it’s also his first fight in America, which will be broadcast nationally Saturday afternoon by NBC. Fury will have about six inches height advantage and probably about 40 lbs. in weight, but Cunningham’s a slick and experienced boxer who can take a decent shot. If he can win the early rounds on points it could be a long night for the Englishman.
Prediction
Cunningham certainly has the skills to beat Fury, but can he take the giant’s punch? The American’s never been stopped in his long career, but he has been dropped a few times. If he was a power puncher Cunningham would have a far better chance here. If he could combine his superior boxing skills along with a heavy punch he might not be the underdog. The same could be said if he wasn’t 36 years old. If Cunningham has the determination, can take Fury’s power, and utilizes a smart game plan, he could pull off a win here.
