Steve “USS” Cunningham took the IBF Cruiserweight championship with a twelve round majority decision over reigning champion Krzysztof Wlodarczyk on Saturday night.

 

Cunningham (20-1, 10 KO’s) built an early lead and never looked back despite the close scores.  Those scores read 116-112 from Alejandro Lopez, Somsak Sirianant saw the fight 115-112 for Cunningham while Bob Gibson scored the fight 114-114.

 

This was a rematch of a fight that happened six months earlier when Wlodarczyk won a hotly disputed split decision over Cunningham in a bout where many who saw the fight thought the Philadelphian pulled out the fight.

 

The rematch was ordered due to neither fighter being administered a post-fight urinalysis which is mandatory in all world title fights.

 

POST FIGHT QUOTES FROM THE NEW IBF CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION,

 

STEVE “USS” CUNNINGHAM (20-1, 10 KO’s)   

 

-“I would like to thank God in Jesus name”

 

-“I would like to thank the best promoter in the world, Don King; Dana Jameson and Juan Gonzalez with DKP, Marian Muhammad from the IBF who heard everything through regarding the first fight.”

 

“I have to thank my wife Elizabeth who is my rock and my two kids Steve Jr. and Kennedy”

 

“I also have to thank Anthony Chase who maybe one of the best young trainers in the game and Buddy Osborne.”

 

“We has  an awesome training camp at Shuler’s Gym, my trainers along with Percy ”Buster” Custus got me world class sparring with such great talent such as Eddie Chambers, Yusef Mack and Chuck Cavallo.”

 

“I had fun in there today.  I knew he didn’t have what it takes to beat me.  Today just solidified what we have been saying all along, that I was the better man the first fight. 

 

“This has been a long hard road and we stuck to the game plan and proved to some naysayer’s that said we had to knock him out to win this belt.”

 

“I would prefer to unify the belts and with my promoter also having Jean-Marc Mormeck hopefully that’s a fight that can be made.”