JA: Congratulations on getting the opportunity to fight for the IBF title against Krzystof Wlodarczyk. Are you relieved to finally get the chance to fight for the IBF title? SC: I wouldn’t say relieved because I knew that it was coming, it had to come. It’s exciting to be fighting Krzystof; he is a good fighter who has a record of 36-1. I’ve been preparing for this fight since February after my fight with Lloyd Bryan. I had two fights that fell out, it helped me prepare more for this fight, and to fix some things in my career and at home, everything worked for the good.
JA: Will the 10 month layoff have any affect on you going into this fight Steve?
SC: Since I’ve been with Don, since he has so many fighters I been only able to fight twice a year. Of course I would like to fight more but that doesn’t bother me. The thing is I always stay battle ready so when a fight does come, I am ready.
JA: Have you watched any tape on Krzystof Wlodarczyk?
SC: Yeah I’ve been watching tape on him for about two months now. Anytime I come across a cruiserweight fight I try to grab tape on them because I plan on being in the top four for a long time to come. Krzystof is a very good fighter with great defense; he also has a great jab, good hand speed, so it’s going to be great to beat a guy of his caliber.
JA: How will that victory come by?
SC: That is the thing with me I don’t predict how I am going to win, but I will predict that I will win. USS Cunningham will be the IBF champion. If I have to knockout him out I will, if the fight goes the distance I will win by decision, I am prepared to win.
JA: What would it mean for you to win the IBF championship?
SC: It would mean a few things. One. Your there and you’ve finally made it. Also it means the hard work really begins. When you win the championship a lot of guys think that they’ve made it. I am trained by the future hall of famer Richie Giachetti who has trained numerous world champions like Larry Holmes. Winning the title would be great but I want to take it to another level when I get there. Some day I want to reach the pound for pound rankings.
JA: This fight will be taking place in Poland. Will it be weird for you to fight over in Poland?
SC: Well I did four years in the Navy so I’ve traveled the world before boxing. I’ve been over to different parts of Greece, Italy and traveled different Islands and countries. It’s not weird to go over to Poland to fight. I look at more like I am here to do a job and also take pictures [laughs].
JA: What motivates you to win this title? Too prove the critics wrong? To do it for your family, what motivates you to win this title?
SC: I can say on two parts. The people who said I couldn’t do this, the haters and doubters. They motivated me in a sense because I want to prove to them that I can do this, I love it when everyone doesn’t think that I can do something. On the outside people can say that he is going to this guy’s hometown and everything is going to be against him, and I am not worried about that. The bible tells me not to worry about anything, but pray for everything. I know what God says about me and I know what God wants me too be, he wants me to be the head and not the tail. That is where my faith and confidence comes from, it is not me, and it’s in Jesus name that I claim this.
JA: When will training camp begin for this fight?
SC: Well I am always in the gym and I been training for 10 weeks. The official camp for this fight will begin in the first week of October.
JA: I know that you are a busy guy Steve and I know we will be talking soon. Is there anything that you would like to say in closing?
SC: Yeah I would like to thank all my fans for continuing to pray for my daughter. My daughter has been home for a month now, you don’t know what that means too my wife and I.
