By Marcin Korfanty

lIn an interview given to BoxingScene.com/boxingnews.pl, cruiserweight Steve “USS” Cunnigham talked about his future plans in boxing. He also commented on Tomasz Adamek’s recent win against Chris Arreola and said a few words about his new promoter, Sauerland Event. Steve USS Cunningham will fight with Troy Ross this Saturday in Germany for the vacant IBF title.

Marcin Korfanty: Why have You decided to sign a contract with Sauerland Event?

Steve Cunningham: I like the way they promote, their marketing is very good. Our contract with Don King had ended and we were looking for a new promoter. They gave us a proposal with a future plan and we liked it. We always wanted to get a European promoter because we know that the cruiserweight division is bigger in Europe than it is in America.

BoxingScene.com: Now your promoter is from Germany – I suppose you know that it means that most of your fights will take place in Europe? Are you ready for such a thing?

Cunningham:  I am totally ready for it. I am USS Cunningham, I am a ship of war. I travel the world in order to be the best in what I do and to stay the best. It actually makes me feel more like a world fighter, because of the fights happening outside of the U.S.

BoxingScene.com: How will your training camps happen now? You will still train in the USA or in Europe?

Cunningham: I have been training in Germany since the last week. Everything is going according to schedule and I am getting ready for the show time.

BoxingScene.com: Do you have any problems with getting used to being in Europe?

Cunningham: No, we just had some minor problems with the time gap but it’s all good now.

BoxingScene.com: The Germans remember you mostly for the fight against Huck – who has the WBO belt right now. Would you like to fight with him one more time?

Cunningham: Right now I am concentrating only on Troy Ross, my mind is concentrated on my next fight. However I believe I can beat everybody in the cruiserweight division I can be dominant in this division, but I need to start showing it by beating Troy Ross on Saturday.

BoxingScene.com: Krzysztof Wlodarczyk recently won with Fragomeni – how would you comment on that fight?

Cunningham: I did not see the fight but I was pretty happy for him. I kind of knew he would win. I think he should win in their first fight, but he got the second chance  to go at him and he did what he was supposed to do and that is a win.

BoxingScene.com: Supposing you will win with Troy Ross,  do you consider claiming two belts in a possible rematch with Wlodarczyk?

Cunningham: That’s an option, but first we have to get this belt, I can talk all day about my next move. Right now I do not have a belt. After the fight me and my promoter will sit down and formulate a plan and let the world now which direction we are going at.

BoxingScene.com: Cruiserweight is not very popular – do you consider moving up to heavyweight?

Cunningham: Not right now, I have got a lot of work to do in cruiserweight still, yet, and we will not make any moves right now.

BoxingScene.com: So first domination in cruiserweight and then heavyweight?

Cunningham: Yes that’s a possibility.

BoxingScene.com: Recently Tomasz Adamek fought and beat Chris Arreola – have you seen this fight? What is your opinion about it?

Cunningham: Yes I saw the fight. Arreola is lazy. He is not a boxer, he is a puncher. If he doesn't hit you with one of his big shots - he loses. He is always overweight, we knew Tomasz is going to win, all Tomasz needed to do was box. He did what he needed to do to win. If he would have stand there with Arreola and went punch for punch he would have lost.

BoxingScene.com Do you think there is a chance for a rematch between you and Adamek?

Cunningham: I do not think he will come back to cruiserweight so I would have to move up to heavyweight or let somebody send him back to cruiserweight.

BoxingScene.com: In Poland a lot of people would like to see a fight between Adamek and Haye – in your opinion who would win such a fight and why?

Cunningham: I think Haye wins that fight. Haye is much stronger than Adamek and more athletic in my eyes.

BoxingScene.com: By a decision or by a KO?

Cunningham: A possible KO but Adamek can take a punch so I would not be surprised if it would be a decision, but still in my opinion Haye wins that fight.

BoxingScene.com: Your next fight is against Troy Ross – what can you say about that guy, what will be the main tactic for the fight?

Cunningham: Troy Ross is a strong fighter a busy fighter, he has got a great amateur career. He is somebody you cannot take light and we did not take him light. The game plan is simply just beat him, get in the ring and win the belt by any means and we are going to do that.

BoxingScene.com: The most difficult fight in your career was against…?

Cunningham: Sebastian Rothmann in 2004. We were fighting in South Africa and the climate was different than in US and it really affected me in the fight. I really had to dig deep in order to pull up the fight and we did dig deep and won the fight. It showed me that I can fight in severe conditions and still win. It helped my confidence a lot, beside this he was a skilled fighter it was a tactical fight. It felt like I was fighting two people I thought I fought him and the climate.

BoxingScene.com: Tomasz Adamek claims that God is very important to him – you also say that you are a religious person – how important is it to you?

Cunningham: It is very important, it is the basis of my strength, for me and my family. Jesus is the lord of my life and I can do all the things thanks to him, so it means that I can be champion thanks to Christ. Without Christ, Steve Cunningham would be dead right now.

BoxingScene.com: Your friend Eddie Chambers told me that if you would move up into heavyweight he would consider fighting with you – do you take into consideration such a possibility?

Cunningham: Yes of course. If I would move up to heavyweight, he has been there, he is a heavyweight. We are friends but you know this is business, of course it would have to be worthy money it also would have to be a title fight or for a position. We both have got families we need to feed. It wold be interesting.

BoxingScene.com: Who would be an underdog in such a fight?

Cunningham: I think I would be, because he has been heavyweight for the whole career. He fought big names, people do not know cruiserweight, so they would not understand, they would not know that I fought and beat all the champions, but they know that he fought Samuel Peter, Dimitrenko, Povetkin and Klitschko, so I think I would be the underdog.

BoxingScene.com: There have been rumors that Sauerland Events is going to organize Super Six tournament in cruiserweight – could you comment on it?

Cunningham: I heard from some fans all about it, but I have not heard anything official yet, nothing has been brought to me officially so we will see.

BoxingScene.com: Thank you for the interview. I wish you all the best and I am hoping to get an interview after you will claim the belt.

Cunningham: Thank you.

Marcin Korfanty covers the Polish boxing scene for boxingnews.pl