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Steve Cunningham Vs Enad Licina: Boxing Predictions

By Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett

Tonight promises to be an important day for the cruiserweight division. For awhile there have been rumors circulating that a tournament is being put together much along the same lines as the current bantamweight tourney and of course the super middleweight division Super Six. Should the cruiserweight division see such a tournament come to fruition you can bet IBF cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham will be central to the matter, which makes his upcoming title defense against Berlin’s Enad Licina at the RWE Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany all the more crucial.

This will be the first defense of Cunningham’s second reign as IBF champ. At 23-2, 12 KO’s, the long 6’3 American is aging and has little time to waste. He is arguably the best fighter today in the 200lb ranks having stopped current WBO champ Marco Huck three years ago, and undoubtedly looking to establish himself both in the minds of fans and the media as such. For challenger Enad Licina, 19-2, 10 KO’s, this assignment is a monumental jump up in class. Having home court advantage, he will enjoy the benefit of fan support and possibly much more given his country’s growing reputation for handing down dubious big-fight verdicts. It all comes down what he can do with the talented champion and how much that can play into the outcome should the bout go the full route. In what would otherwise figure to be a pedestrian match-up, the elements are in place for intrigue and greater things later this year. RSR’s writers give their expert predictions on the outcome

Gina L. Caliboso

For a cruiserweight, Cunningham displays a lot of speed and power and has a definite height and reach advantage. Both fighters have the same amount of losses, but I like Cunningham’s speed. If Licina wants to make a fight out of it, he has to stand up to Cunningham and box on the inside.
Prediction: Cunningham in 10 rounds – TKO.

“Bad” Brad Berkwitt

Cunningham by TKO in round 5….

Brian Wilbur

Enad Licina is a solid inside fighter with good stamina but not as dynamic or explosive as Steve Cunningham. As skilled as Cunningham is, he can be reckless, so I give Licina a puncher’s chance to win. Barring that money punch I lean towards Cunningham so I will say that Steve wins a unanimous decision (although you never know what those German judges are going to see).

Donald Stewart

I have a funny feeling this will be a Steve Cunningham victory SD after 12 rounds. Enad Licina will come out well.

Ben Bieker

Steve Cunningham should win this fight because I believe he has fought tougher more experienced foes and beat them. Plus, he has shown heart in his fights, and someone who can come back from being knocked down to making a fight competitive always makes me like them.

Sean Farrell

Steve Cinningham Wins easily Licina claims every champions is beatable and he has seen and will expose Cunningham’s weaknesses that will not be enough to dethrone the champ whatever the few “weaknesses” he sees may be.

Marc Anthony

Steve Cunningham is my pick for the following reasons:
Skill-wise Steve is very solid and style-wise I don’t see how Enad can give Steve any problems . Cunningham by unanimous decision.

Damien Norman

I think it will go the distance but the winner will be Steve Cunningham by unanimous decision.

Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett

I’ve never much liked “USS” Cunningham’s inactivity and have always looked upon him as a great untapped talent. Understanding that the inactivity of the past had more to do with boxing politics than with anything lacking on Cunningham’s part, and with the rumored tournament that is on the drawing board, I expect the champion, who incidentally has fought at a much higher level than his challenger, for years, to come out hard and fast looking to establish his dominance in this assignment and in the bigger picture as the best cruiserweight in the world today. Far more a boxer than a puncher, expect the chiseled champ to systematically disassemble Licina with marked precision, and in a higher gear than usual. Look for the final bell to toll somewhere around the 10th with “USS” Cunningham the winner via TKO.

Geno McGahee

Cunningham by UD

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