Steve Cunningham to fight Amir Mansour on April 4
Unbeaten heavyweight Amir Mansour will meet former RING cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham in an April 4 headliner at the Liacouras Center on the Temple University campus in Cunningham's hometown of Philadelphia, Main Events CEO Kathy Duva announced on Wednesday.
Cunningham-Mansour will take place on an NBC Sports Net Fight Night card.
"I'm really looking forward to this fight," said Duva. "It has everything we want on this series–heavyweights in an evenly-matched crossroads bout at a great venue in a location that really adds something to the match. You can't ask for more."
A 41-year-old southpaw from Wilmington, Del., Mansour (20-0, 15 knockouts) has won four of his past fight fights by stoppage, and was last in the ring for a seventh-round knockout of Kelvin Price in December.
"I'm gonna train for Steve as if my life depends on the win," said Mansour, who, at 6-foot-1, is two inches shorter than Cunningham. "I greatly respect Steve, but on April 4, I'm gonna speak to the boxing world, using my hands. I will not be denied."
The 37-year-old Cunningham (26-6, 12 KOs) is coming off December's unanimous decision over Manuel Quezada that helped him to rebound from a seventh-round stoppage loss to Tyson Fury, whom Cunningham floored in the second round in April.
"I'm not going to talk this to death," said Cunningham, who, at 210 pounds, could be out-weighed by as much as 20 pounds by Mansour. "I'm very focused and taking this seriously. This time, I'm fighting in my backyard, and I want to give my fans a spectacular performance. It's time to fight."
Cunningham is 2-4 in his past six bouts.
"Cunningham has to win this fight to remain viable in the heavyweight division," said co-promoter Russell Peltz. "Mansour needs to win to prove to people that despite beating the second-tier of heavyweights en route to his 20-0 record, he is capable of taking the next step."