Antonio Tarver vs. Steve Cunningham:
On Friday night Spike TV will air a PBC card headlined by a pair of heavyweights who really aren't heavyweights. The fighters, Antonio Tarver (31-6, 22 KO) and Steve Cunningham (28-7, 13 KO) are both much smaller than your average heavyweight and both have different reasons for fighting in that weight class. For Cunningham it is about money, the heavyweight division gives him the opportunity to make the most money, money his family needs for medical bills. For Tarver a former light heavyweight stand out it may be because he couldn't get down far enough to be a light heavyweight or cruiserweight anymore and he has also said that he felt the heavyweight division was weak and fighting in it he would be able to win a title. Well Friday's fight will be a 12-round affair but neither fighter has a title belt to bring to the ring. Both men are also well passed their primes. Tarver is 46 and looking to become the oldest heavyweight champion ever, while Cunningham is 39 and has spent recent years taking heavy hits from much bigger men. Tarver is definitely the heavier handed fighter in this bout but he has also not looked to be in top shape in recent bouts, while Cunningham always enters the ring looking ripped and has stamina is top notch. Tarver is a southpaw with long arms and he uses them to land a nice jab. At this point Tarver doesn't have much of a right hook and he isn't very busy but he stays disciplined. Tarver will fight behind a tight guard and work his job all night while he looks to land his still heavy overhand left. He can also still get some good pop on his one-two combinations but he doesn't have a high work rate. However, Tarver is coming off of a stoppage win and he got that stoppage by landing his left hand. Cunningham is an orthodox fighter who has gotten off the deck in recent bouts to win. He too has a nice jab and he likes to use his athleticism in the ring and typically keeps his hands low and uses his feet to avoid punches. Along with his jab Cunningham also has a nice straight right hand and he is a busier fighter than Tarver is. Usually Cunningham enters fights with a huge size disadvantage but that won't really be the case against Tarver. Look for Tarver to try to impose his power on Cunningham. Tarver will probably start slow just pumping the jab and staying safe on defense until he feels comfortable enough to let his powerful overhand left go. For Cunningham he should just look to outwork Tarver. Cunningham 7 years younger and he is quicker and busier than Tarver is. This could actually end up being a pretty fun heavyweight bout and it will be Cunningham who comes away the winner via split decision in part because of his higher work rate.
Marco Huck vs. Krzysztof Glowacki:
The other televised fight on Friday's card should be a crowd pleasing one. That is because Marco Huck (38-2-1, 26 KO) who is always entertaining will be in action. Huck will be taking on Krzysztof Glowacki (24-0, 15 KO) in a 12-round title fight for Huck's WBO cruiserweight title. This will actually be both fighters debut in the U.S. with Huck having fought mostly in his native Germany outside of one fight in Switzerland, while all of Glowacki's fights have been in his native Poland. If Huck were to win this fight or score a draw he would hold the record for most cruiserweight title defenses. Interestingly one of Huck's two career losses came against Steve Cunningham, who appears in the main event, way back in 2007. His only other career loss came as a heavyweight to Alexander Povetkin, one of the best in the division. Huck is an orthodox fighter with solid power but he isn't an overwhelmingly powerful puncher. Huck likes to work his jab and double it or triple it up at times when he isn't putting too much behind it. Often following that jab will be an overhand right with bad intentions and Huck also has a nice looking and short left hook. Part of what makes Huck fun to watch is that he doesn't mind trading on the inside where he looks to land uppercuts and pound to the body, also, he doesn't have great defense so a Huck fight is usually a good action fight. Glowacki is a southpaw and he and Huck actually have the same knockout percentage of 63. However, while Huck has fought many tough challengers, Glowacki hasn't face as high a level of competition. Glowacki has a somewhat strange stance where he leans back slightly like he is keeping all of his weight on his back foot and he tends to leap in when he jabs. Also, the movements of Glowacki are pretty plodding and while he does show a decent right hook at times from the outside most of his work comes on the inside when he bangs wildly to the body. While fighting in the U.S. will be a new experience for both fighters fighting for a legitimate title will not be, at least not for Huck, for Glowacki it will be his first real crack at the big time. While his record may look pretty Golwacki doesn't fight as pretty as that record would indicate and on Friday Huck will be able to make history when he successfully defends his title by the way of unanimous decision.
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