Cunningham Stops Huck In Final Round To Retain IBF Title

By Per Ake Persson

IBF cruiser champ Steve Cunningham stopped brave German challenger Marco Huck in the 12th and final round of this Sauerland Event promotion last night at Seidensticker Halle, Bielefeld, Germany.

Huck was trailing on points going into the last round, took a lot of chances and walked onto a counter. He fell but it was ruled a slip.

Cunningham saw the light and followed up forcing Ulli Wegner in Huck´s corner to throw in the towel at 1.56.

After eleven it was scored 108-101 and 106-103 for Cunningham and 105-104 for Huck.

The German challenger was very strong, willing and brave but “USS” Cunningham knew a little too much for him, showed patience and coolness under pressure.

“I´ll be back” said Marco afterwards and he was probably in too deep too soon. Cunningham is now likely to fight Jean Marc Mormeck in France.

In the co-headliner hardpunching Nicaraguan Jose Alfaro won the vacant WBA lightweight with a split twelve round decision over Thailand´s Prawet Singwancha.

Singchawa was floored in the second and eighth rounds, had points deducted in rounds nine and ten – but did just fine inbetween in his slick southpaw style.

Alfaro had a point deducted in the eleventh for his share of large number of low blows but had the power and that made the difference. It was scored 114-109 twice for Alfaro and 112-111 for Singchawa.

Cuban cruiser Yoan Pablo Hernandez knocked out New Zealand´s Mohamed Azzaoui in the first with a single left hand with the WBA Fedelatin and WBC Latino titles at stake.

Polish cruiser Tomasz Adamek looked good in outscoring tough Croatian Josip Jalusic over eight.

Supermiddle Karo Murat stopped Emiliano Cayetano in the seventh. Cayetano soaked up a bad beating and was on the floor in the third as well.

Francesco Pianeta showed big improvement in again beating Paolo Ferrara – only this time he did it for real boxing much better than in the past, jabbing, moving, picking his shots welll.

Junior welter Frank Shabani knocked out American Clint McNeil in the first.