By Keith Idec
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — If you were confused on multiple levels after Michael Buffer read the scores from the Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham rematch Saturday, that wasn’t at all your fault.
After Buffer informed millions of viewers watching on NBC and the roughly 2,000 people who witnessed the fight live that judge Dave Greer (116-112) scored it for Adamek and Tom Miller (115-113) had it for Cunningham, he initially announced Debra Barnes scored the fight 115-115, which would’ve rendered their rematch a draw.
The reason Buffer read the wrong score at first was because 115 was erroneously written in Barnes’ column Cunningham’s total points on the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission’s official boxing ballot that was handed to Buffer. Greg Sirb, executive director for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, then misinformed Buffer again, telling him that Barnes’ score was 115-112 for Adamek. That was the score Buffer read the second time, when he clarified the fight wasn’t a draw and that Adamek had won by split decision, just before NBC went off the air.
Barnes actually scored the fight 115-113 for Adamek (48-2, 29 KOs), which still left him a split-decision winner over Cunningham (25-5, 12 KOs) in their 12-round heavyweight fight at Sands Casino Resort’s Events Center.
Barnes credited Adamek with winning seven of the 12 rounds — the second, third, fifth, sixth, ninth, 10th and 11th rounds.
Greer gave Adamek eight rounds — the first, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth, 10th, 11th and 12th rounds. Miller credited Adamek with winning five rounds — the third, fifth, sixth, 11th and 12th rounds.
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
