The Biofile Steve U.S.S. Cunningham

By Scoop Malinowski 

Status: IBF Cruiserweight champion. 

Ht:  6-3  Wt:  190

DOB: July 15, 1976  In: Philadelphia, PA USA

Boxing Inspirations:  "Floyd Mayweather, Chris Byrd, Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya."

Childhood Hero:  "My dad. I wanted to be like him so much. He had so much clout and rep and respect in the neighborhood. I wanted to be him. I idolized my dad (Vernon Roberts)."

Nicknames:  "Two Left...like two left feet. I split my thighbone when I was young. And I had to learn to walk again."

Age Started Boxing:  "17, when I joined the Navy straight out of high school. In my first amateur fight I beat the Navy light heavyweight champ. From there I won the National Golden Gloves. I really wanted to go to the Olympics."

Hobbies/Interests:  "Now my main hobby, other than being with my son and daughter, is paintball. And I've discovered paintball in the last two years and I can't stop. And drawing. I was supposed to go to art college but I didn't. I still draw occasionally, draw characters, drawing out Bible verses, for a book. I have a guy in my church helping me. Hopefully that will be out next year."

Favorite Movies:  "I'm a science fiction geek and martial arts guy. Super Ninjas."

Favorite TV Shows:  "Contender - only because I know most of the guys on there."

Musical Tastes:  "Gospel, rap, I don't really listen to regular hip-hop anymore. Reggaeton, Kirk Franklin, Donny McKirk."

First Job:  "Job for teenagers in Philadelphia, called Phil A Job (age 13)."

First Car:  "Was a 1990 burgundy Lincoln Continental."

Early Boxing Memory:  "When I was an amateur (age 20), I was a light heavyweight, we went to Roanoke, Virginia. And my guy wasn't able to fight. So they had a heavyweight by the name of Harry Cunningham. And my trainer said, Steve, you want to fight? He's a heavyweight - 230. And I was 178. And I was, Hey, I came here to fight. Won the fight by knockout in the fourth round, so [laughs]. And I won the trophy (it was) like six-foot-five inches tall, so, yeah, that was a great memory."

Pre-Fight Feeling:  "I can't be beat. I won't be beat. I must win."

Favorite Meal:  "Hmmm, baked beans and hot dogs [smiles]."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal:  "Raisin Nut Bran."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:  "Butter pecan."

Greatest Sports Moment:  "Winning the world title (W 12 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in Poland). I knew I was supposed to be cruiserweight champion."

Most Painful Moment:  "Having three fights called off. Having my first unified championship of the cruiserweight division called off. My first bout called off. That really hurt me. Truthfully, that was against O'Neil Bell. It hurt me that he chose to get stripped of the title than to fight me. I don't care what his excuses is, he chose not to fight me. That hurt me. I know I can beat him. He just slowed me up a bit."

Funny Memory:  "I have a few. One time I was fighting a guy. And I talk in the ring sometimes. So I was talking and he got really mad and was literally cussing me out in the ring [smiles]. I sat back and looked at it, and that made me laugh. That still makes me laugh now. (Where?) That happened at Madison Square Garden, against Lloyd Bryan (January 2006). I told him he couldn't hurt me, telling him he couldn't hurt me, touch me. And he just started cussin' me out. F you! Your mother! I was like, Wow. I really got under his skin."

Embarrassing Memory:  "My first fight with Don King at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. First round, I'm fighting Joseph Awinongya (July '02). And it's an eight round fight. We're fighting, I'm smoking him, smoking him. Boom. I'm on the ground. Looking up at the lights. When I look over, I see my wife holding her mouth, like, Oh my God! No, not in front of my wife. I gotta get up. I gotta get up. Got up. And beat the guy in a unanimous decision. But that was embarrassing for me."

Favorite Boxers To Watch:  "Of course, Floyd Mayweather. Of course. Montiel. I really love the way Montiel boxes. Chirs Byrd - I love the way Chris Byrd boxes. Oh man, there's so many. Calzaghe, just for those two performances he had on Jeff (Lacy) and Kessler. Awesome. Those are the guys I really make a note of. I gotta see these guys fight."

South African Memory: "I beat Sebastiaan Rothmann in his backyard (May '04). In the highest altitude in the world. I was there for like four months basically with no one to talk to [laughs]." 

People Qualities Most Admired:  "I just like to see people not be so uptight. Especially people that supposedly have some type of status or, you know what I mean, rank in the world or whatever. I'm so and so, I'm world champion or I'm rich. You know what I mean? Don't walk around with a big-ass head. I like to see people talk to everybody and treat everybody the same. That's the type of people I really like to deal with."

Family:  Wife, Elizabeth; son, Steve Jr.; daughter, Kennedy.

The Biofile - Edison Miranda

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: IBF Middleweight mandatory challenger. 

Ht: 5-11  Wt: 160

DOB: January 7, 1981  In: Buenaventura, Colombia

Childhood Heroes:  "First and foremost, God is my hero. Because I had a dream and during an epiphany, God spoke to me and so I became a boxer. I am God's warrior. I've always put my trust in him and he's always protected me. God is the reason I am here today. And he's the reason I fight. Because I know it's his plan that I be a champion."

Hobbies/Interests:  "I like to relax by playing a lot of dominoes. I like animals down in Puerto Rico (his residence). I like to hang in Puerto Rico. And I take advantage of my down time so I can rest and grow more."

Favorite Movies:  "I love Woody Woodpecker [laughs]."

Favorite TV Shows:  "Just Woody Woodpecker."

Musical Tastes:  "I don't have any special preference. Just anything with good rhythm."

Early Boxing Memory:  "My first memory was my natural trainer saying, He's good. But with practice he'll be better than everybody else."

First Job:  "Was in Barranquilla, Colombia - I sold freshly squeezed orange juice."

First Car:  "My best preference is a black Ferrari. My first car was a Mazda C3 (white)."

Pre-Fight Feeling:  "The same way you see me here, nice and relaxed. Because I'm the best. And the best don't worry."

Favorite Meal:  "Fish."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal:  "I never eat breakfast."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:  "And I don't eat sweets - they don't make you strong."

Greatest Sports Moment:  "Right now. In this moment now from the last 12 months to now have been the best moments of my career. (Why?) I've fought name fighters before. But my win against Howard Eastman was special because he gave Bernard (Hopkins) some problems and I knocked him out in seven."

Most Painful Moment:  "Was the beginning of my career, when I had epiphany from God to join boxing (age 15). It was a very low grade gym, they had a lot of bugs and mosquitos and when I joined the gym I was sleeping on the street. I had no other place to live. So I lived in that particular gym. That's my most painful moment ever."

Favorite Boxers To Watch:  "Muhammad Ali. And from the last 10 years to today, Floyd Mayweather pound for pound is the best. I enjoy watching him."

Funny Boxing Memory:  "My friend Freddie Mendoza one time was struggling to make weight and we both made weight (age 16). We were both very strong. And we got in the ring. In the first round we exchanged good jabs. My friend got the worst of it and he decided right then and there, he decided he wasn't going to fight anymore. And he left the ring [laughs]. Freddie Mendoza."

Favorite Vacation Spot:  "First and foremost I always love to return home to Colombia. But I like Los Angeles also. And I have a lot of friends in Miami as well."

Favorite Non-Boxing Sport:  "Futbol."

People Qualities Most Admired:  "First and foremost I prefer that they have good faith. Because if you have a faith in God, you will treat everybody else good and equally."

Interesting Facts:  Edison was abandoned by his family at one month old. He was living completely on his own by age 9 and sometimes was forced by necessity to eat road kill to survive. By 12 he was working a full-time man's job in construction. At 14 he was a cattle butcher in Barranquilla. Then he discovered boxing at age 15. Now he's one of the best middleweight boxers in the world.

The Biofile - Antonio Tarver

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: IBC Light Heavyweight champion.
Ht: 6-2  Wt: 175
Born On: November 21, 1968 In: 1968  

Childhood Heroes: "Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard."

Hobbies/Interests: "I love to eat, I love sushi. I'd say I'm a food connoisseur [smiles]. Playing golf. I'm pretty good actually, 13-14 handicap. I love the game. Winky Wright is one of my golf buddies. We play regularly in Florida. Three times a week sometimes. I try to play everywhere I go. My clubs are like American Express...I don't leave home without 'em. Being with my kids. I just saw my son (Antonio Jr.) play basketball tonight. He's a sophomore in Daytona Beach. He's the shooting guard. Had about 12 points. He's like me, a gunner. He ain't never seen a shot he didn't like [laughs]."

Nicknames: "Magic Man, Tony T., Tarver, Champ."

Favorite Movie: "Scarface...say Hello to my little friend [laughs]."

Favorite TV Shows: "I don't watch much TV if it ain't sports."

Musical Tastes: "I'm on that slow ground right now, soulful, slow music."

Early Boxing Memory: "A lot of great memories, winning a group of trophies, my mom was so proud of me. Traveling with $12.50 in my pocket to a tournament and going halfs on Happy Meals [laughs]."

First Job: "I was at Holiday Inn in Orlando, by International Airport (age 16). I was like a prep chef, making shrimp cocktails, salads."

First Car: "Blue Nova."

Pre-Fight Feeling: "I feel relaxed. Just get a lot of rest. Just being close with the people you love and who are close to you. I don't want to be locked up in the room...you die a thousand deaths, thinking about the fight, killing yourself about the fight mentally. I don't hibernate. I stay relaxed and do things like make sure my friends have tickets."

Funny Boxing Memory: "The craziest thing that ever happened to me...'95 Olympic Trials. Live on NBC in Oakland, CA. My opponent (Glenn Robinson) didn't ever show up. I'm sitting on NBC, bouncing in the ring. Won by walkover to the Olympic Box-Offs.  It was bizarre because even if he lost to me, he'd still advance to the Box-Offs. I guess he bought into the hype. I was on a two-year winning streak."

Favorite Meal: "Turkey wings and rice."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "I'd have to say Cookie Crisp."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Vanilla."

Greatest Sports Moment: ""Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Do you have any excuses tonight Roy Jones? And seven punches later - seven is the number of completion - seven punches later is Roy Jones no more. So you have to look back, it's a powerful, powerful statement. I told Roy Jones when he was the heavyweight champion, You're not even the best fighter in Florida. And I got to prove it. So it's a spiritual thing when you think about it, man. And I'm just so thankful. Going through the transition from amateur to the pros - they can't deny me no more. I refuse to be denied. And I told the world that it will recognize, before it's all over, they will recognize. And now they do."     

Most Painful Moment: "Oh my god, getting robbed in the Olympics. And when I had my jaw broken in 2000 against Eric Harding. That was excruciating right there. (By a) right hook. And I knew it was broken instantly. 9th round. We finished the fight, but I couldn't fight effectively. But I think it was a blessing. It took that loss for me to assess my career. I just wasn't putting in the 100% effort. When you beat everyone, you get complacent. That was the wake-up call. Now I train for three months before a fight, not one month. I have three physical conditioning/strength trainers, working plyometrics, running 800 meters. Now I give myself the very best opportunity to win. And we're going to continue to do it."

Favorite Vacation Spot: "It's a toss-up...Jamaica, Bahamas. I stayed at the Atlantis. I'd have to say Bahamas."

People Qualities Most Admired: "Just true people with pure hearts. It's very rare that you meet people that are genuinely true. Those are the kinds of people I like to be around. Just being a good person, genuine. When you find those people, you have to hold on to them. As an athlete, being approachable. I just try to be good people. And down-to-earth. Keep both feet planted."

Favorite Boxers To Watch: "I have to say Antonio Tarver. I'm a big fan of myself [laughs]. I'm carrying the torch for these guys to step up. I'm not afraid to take risks. I love this sport. I love the sport of boxing. I think more fighters should have that love for the game. And not just be in it for the money. I like Ricardo Mayorga. He's a character. We need guys like that to re-invent the sport for the fans. He's tremendously confident and he thinks he can beat anybody. We need guys like that."

Embarrassing Boxing Moment:  "When I got jerked in the Olympics. When I went out to get that gold medal, I should have had that opportunity to fight for that gold medal. Jirov they say beat me, but look at our careers now. Look at the parallels. When God is with you can't nobody be against you. So I'm here."

Childhood Dream: "To be an Olympic champion. My Olympic dream was what I truly held on to."