Antonio Tarver vs. Steve Cunningham: Winner, Scorecard and Reaction

Antonio "Magic Man" Tarver (31-6-1) fought Steve "USS" Cunningham (28-7-1) to a slow-paced, mildly entertaining split draw on Friday night in Newark, New Jersey.

Most of the time, draws suck, but it was the right decision in this case. Bible of Boxing on Twitter has the official scorecards:

Bleacher Report's Kevin McRae thought Cunningham deserved the nod, but he didn't take issue with the final result:

Picking a winner in this fight was difficult as your decision likely came down to what style of boxing you prefer. Cunningham did better work with the jab and he out worked the slower, heavier and seemingly less conditioned Tarver. 

Per the PBC on Spike broadcast, Cunningham threw 678 total punches compared to 450 for the 46-year-old Tarver. However, Tarver was far more accurate as he landed 141 punches while Cunningham connected on just 13 more at 154. 

The power-punching stats were similar only even more in favor of Tarver.

The Magic Man landed 115 of the 241 power shots he threw. Cunningham was busier, but only 101 of the 325 power shots he threw found the mark. While some, such as ESPN.com's Dan Rafael found the fight "decent," others like Undisputed Champions Network's Steve Kim wasn't impressed:

Rafael hit it on the head.

Tarver vs. Cunningham followed an explosive cruiserweight title fight between long-time champion Marco Huck and Krysztof Glowacki. The latter scored a thrilling 11th-round KO win in a scrap that will likely win Fight of the Year. Tarver-Cunningham needed to be the Thrilla in Manilla to compete.

Cunningham did some nice work with the jab throughout the fight. He pressed the action while Tarver was content to lay back and wait for counter opportunities. Without question, Tarver's punches did the most damage. He wobbled Cunningham on three occasions. the most significant shot came in the fourth round when a combination sent Cunningham stumbling into the ropes. 

He quickly recovered, but it was one of the more memorable moments of the fight.

While Cunningham was throwing a lot of punches, Tarver was the more controlled fighter. He exhibited better defense and ring generalship. He ate very few hard shots and his face barely had a mark on it after the bout. In contrast, Cunningham had noticeable swelling in both eyes and on the lips.

On this night, Tarver was bitten by his inactivity. At this stage of his career—and with his lack of conditioning—a low work rate may be unavoidable. 

Before the fight, Tarver talked a lot about targeting WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in his next fight. You can watch one of the Magic Man's signature rants in the video below:

Those plans would seemingly be on hold as Tarver didn't prove himself to be superior to the 39-year-old Cunningham. Because neither man is a spring chicken, the most sensible next fight would be a rematch. Although, it's unclear how PBC would sell Tarver-Cunningham 2 to fans.

It wasn't a horrible fight, but it wasn't one you'll be talking about on Saturday morning. At the very least, each man made a solid account of himself and did enough to suggest that they can put off retirement a little while longer.

That said, it's a good thing neither will be facing Wilder any time soon. A matchup with the hard-hitting 29-year-old champion might accelerate Tarver and/or Cunningham's exit from the sport.

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