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Steve Cunningham grateful for support of ailing daughter

Fighters Network
07
Oct
Former RING cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham and his wife, Livvy, are grateful to the boxing community for contributions for the Kennedy Cunningham Fundraiser, a support for their nine-year-old daughter who has spent her life fighting to survive hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

With Kennedy Cunningham still awaiting life-saving heart transplant surgery, the fundraiser was set up this past summer with the proceeds going toward the Cunningham’s mounting medical bills for out-of-pocket health care expenses.

Click here for a video of The Cunninghams

“We are humbled and grateful for what everyone has done to pitch in,” said Cunningham, a former two-time IBF cruiserweight titleholder now campaigning as a heavyweight. “These donations came from all over the world from promoters, managers, television people, fighters and everyone else.”



Within the two months, the goal of $25,000 was reached with most of the donations coming from members of the boxing industry.

“We are truly touched by the outpouring of help from everybody,” said Livvy Cunningham. “Because of the contributions from everybody, we are as comfortable as we can be in this situation…it truly shows that when people get together, they can make a huge difference in people’s lives.”

In the meantime, Steve Cunningham, 38, is set to return to the ring on Oct. 18 against Natu Vasinia on an NBC Sports Network broadcast from the 2300 Club in Cunningham’s native Philadelphia.

In his last fight in April, Cunningham (27-6, 12 knockouts) defeated previously unbeaten southpaw Amir Mansour, who outweighed Cunningham by 16.5 pounds. Cunningham is 3-4 in his past seven fights.

“This is the third undefeated heavyweight that I am facing and he has more career heavyweight fights than I do. I have fought more undefeated heavyweight fighters than some heavyweights fight in their entire career,” said Cunningham during an earlier interview. “I am up for the challenge. It is always a challenge fighting a young, untested fighter but a job has to be done. We are going to do the job get this victory and be impressive.”

A former left guard in football at Southern Illinois University, where he majored in criminal justice, Visinia (10-0, 8 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision over Jon Bolden in May. A native of Lakewood, Calif., Visinia, 30, lettered in football, wrestling and track and competed professionally in mixed martial arts for five bouts before switching to boxing.

 

Notes: Quotes from a release.

 

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