Jenna J: Hey Steve, how you doing?
Steve Cunningham: Good, you know, just helping my man Big Foot Al get ready for this pro debut we’ve all been waiting for.
Jenna J: Steve, I talked a little to Nazim (Richardson) about yourself, your future, he also mentioned you are working with Big Foot there. What do you see for yourself?
Steve Cunningham: Well, shoot, the possibilities are endless you know, I still feel victorious in my career you know. My age means nothing to me, I know a lot of people think that age means something but it doesn’t mean anything to me. I’m constantly in shape, I’m constantly in the gym working, I feel twenty three. I feel I’m gonna be heavyweight champion if I just keep perceiving, I’m going through all of this garbage that’s going on and just continue on. Its been done before but I guess I’m just gonna have to do it. Perseverance is just part of my identity.
Jenna J: Steve, there’s been talk of Tyson Fury moving onto a David Haye fight. What do you think about that?
Steve Cunningham: I think a lot of people are saying that because Steve Cunningham put him down, then David Haye is gonna knock him out. What their saying over there in the concrete jungle is how skilled and strong Steve Cunningham is. I don’t believe David Haye is gonna be able to knock him out, you have to be smart and skilled, its not just about power. A lot of people said that I don’t have power, I showed them I have power. Any fighter has power, especially the heavyweights. Its timing, its the right plan its the right punch, its everything. To tell you the truth I cant call that fight, if they allow Fury to head-butt and foul and push then a guy that size can wear anyone down or a guy that size can do that to David Haye. We’ll see what David Haye’s game plan is, I’m sure he can do it, but I don’t think his good points are gonna match my good points you know.
Jenna J: Steve, being in the concrete jungle, you see a lot of fighters come in and out of there, but not one as unique as Bernard Hopkins. Forty eight years old, got a fight coming up in July. What do you expect from the old ageless warrior?
Steve Cunningham: He should beat Karo Murat, he’s promoted by the same promoter as this guy. He’s a decent fighter but he’s not gonna be able to contest with a Bernard Hopkins. This is gonna be a good stay busy fight for Bernard basically. I’m sure he’s gonna train accordingly and try and stop this guy and dominate him but I dont think this guy is on Bernard’s level at all.
Jenna J: I briefly mentioned what’s next for you Steve. Coming off of a knock-out loss, do you think you will suffer any ill effects from it, or do you think you will be fine coming back?
Steve Cunningham: I’m back in the gym, I’m feeling good, I’m feeling great. I don’t consider that a loss, its should have been a disqualification, but stay tuned because we still have our protest out there. I just wanna fight the best and I just wanna fight whoever is gonna get me there you know. I wanna fight Arreola, I wanna fight Chisora, I wanna fight whoever, it doesn’t matter, check my resume out, I’ll fight whoever I need to fight. Sometimes I fight whoever they want me to fight cos I have to, I’m a fighter, I’m a boxer I’m whatever I need to be. I know for a fact that the names that were given the Fury fight before I accepted it and they turned it down, this quote unquote the best heavyweights in America, but Steve Cunningham is the only one who stepped up to the plate to fight this man, when nobody wanted to. Now they’ve seen the work I put on him, they think they are gonna be able to do it now, and their gonna be surprised.
Jenna J: Steve, is there any message you want to pass onto your fans?
Steve Cunningham: Just stay tuned, just stay tuned!
Written with the permission of On The Ropes Boxing Radio hostess Jenna J.
