Hernandez Retains IBF Belt In Cunningham Rematch

IBF cruiserweight titlist Yoan Pablo Hernandez retained his crown last night in a rematch against Steve Cunningham at Fraport Arena in Frankfurt, Germany.

The pair initially clashed last October with Cuba’s Hernandez winning the IBF belt from Cunningham via a sixth round technical decision when Hernandez was cut from a headbutt.

Southpaw Hernandez comes out aggressive in the first, backing up America’s Cunningham but the former champion’s movement and jab make it difficult for the Cuban to get anything going until landing a hard body combination at the bell.

Cunningham tries going forward in the second but Hernandez is waiting with a couple of right hooks and body combinations. Cunningham gets in a nice counter right after Hernandez misses a massive left. Hernandez isn’t bothered and soon shakes Cunningham with a hard left counter to the ribs when the challenger tried a big right hand. There were a few more sporadic engagements with both scoring but Hernandez looks the stronger fighter.

Nice action at the start of the third as Cunningham clips Hernandez with a counter right but the champion put an end to that with a bracing body attack that had the American covering up. Cunningham tries to control the action with his jab but loses the battle every time there is an exchange when the wide but hard punches of Hernandez find the mark.

Cunningham’s good defense is allowing him to stay in the game, artfully slipping Hernandez’s wild shots and using footwork to stay off the ropes but his lack of a concussive punch is telling.

Cunningham mounts a better offense at the start of the fourth, putting a few right hands behind the jab, both upstairs and down, but backs off when Hernandez starts up with the big swings. Hernandez becomes more careful, applying pressure but at a distance as they trade jabs that mostly miss the mark.

The challenger tries the right hand again but is forced to clinch when Hernandez connects on the inside. Cunningham lands a right to the body but is met with a left haymaker counter that hits the target and Cunningham is sent down hard on the canvas.

The Philadelphian stumbles as he tries to rise before managing it on the second attempt, wobbling badly but is allowed to go on by referee Eddie Cotton. Cunningham is on very shaky legs as he walks to Hernandez but amazingly lands a hard right before a glancing left from the champion puts him down again.

Cunningham is up quickly this time and looks steadier as he walks around during the count. A rugby scrum follows as Hernandez is punching away with his wide hooks while Cunningham is doing everything he can to clinch and grab.

Hernandez improves his approach by standing off a bit as tries to finish off Cunningham, who shows a huge heart, refusing to go down again despite getting nailed with big shots as he somehow manages to survive to the bell.

The fifth sees Cunningham back with a clear head as he takes a few good hooks from Hernandez before shaking the champion a little bit with a nice counter right hand. Hernandez backs off after this and the rest of the round is a cautious affair.

The sixth opens with good exchanges before Cunningham starts to put his punches together and outbox Hernandez, who is beckoning the challenger to bring it. Sporadic engagements follow with neither boxer able to take control.

The seventh sees Cunningham take a risk by pressuring the champion, backing him up with the jab and landing a few right hands. Hernandez looks for openings but is mostly missing with big, winging counter shots.

Hernandez starts to get more offensive, landing good single shots while Cunningham keeps up the forward motion, going well to the body but missing a few big rights. The champion gets in a good body shot but Cunningham comes back with a couple of rights and thwarts Hernandez’s follow-up retaliation.

A full-on fight erupted to start the eighth but nothing of consequence found the mark. Cunningham breaks the pause afterward with a nice right as Hernandez struggles to find a way to regain control.

Cunningham continues to run the show behind the jab, getting in body shots and keeping Hernandez from breaking out, blocking most of the champion’s efforts.
The pattern continues throughout the round, although Hernandez starts to score as Cunningham gets more offensive, leaving holes in his defense.

The challenger steps it up a notch opening the ninth frame, forcing a fight, and lands a score of right hands as Hernandez tries to fight back, scoring with a big left to the body. Hernandez becomes more active, throwing punches and landing a few, backing Cunningham off.

The struggle for control extends into the early phases of the tenth with Cunningham pressuring and outworking Hernandez, who is trying to figure out the challenger’s approach. The last half of the round sees Hernandez fighting Cunningham on equal terms.

The championship rounds kick off with a competitive 11th frame as the fighters give and take in the most entertaining round thus far before fatigue sets in for both and the action slows.

It’s an ugly round in the 12th as sporadic firefights devolve into wrestling clinches until Hernandez hits paydirt with a big right uppercut that has Cunningham in a bit of trouble. The challenger survives the storm and even backs off Hernandez with a few good shots. Cunningham presses, throwing leather while Hernandez mostly holds on to kill time until the bell rings.

When the scores are read Hernandez wins a UD, 116-110, 116-110 and 115-111.

Hernandez retains the IBF title, improving to 26-1 (13) while Cunningham falls to 24-4 (12).

The undercard saw European light heavyweight ruler Eduard Gutknecht, 22-1 (10), post a 12 round UD over VyacheslavUzelkov, 25-2 (16), by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113.

The vacant European cruiserweight crown was claimed by Alexander Alekseev, 23-2 (20), who outpointed EnadLicina, 21-4 (11), after 12 frames.