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Trainer Kevin Cunningham and junior middleweight titlist Cory Spinks, who together won the undisputed welterweight title and two junior middleweight titles, have split for the second time, Cunningham told ESPN.com.
Spinks is due to make a mandatory defense against Cornelius "K9" Bundrage in March but Cunningham said he was so disgusted with Spinks' conditioning that he ended things.
"Cory and I are no longer affiliated," said Cunningham, who also served as Spinks' manager for many years. "I fear for his safety because he weighed close to 200 pounds when he finally showed up at the gym and I refuse to try to get him ready for a fight eight weeks away in that condition. I fear for his health. That's how people get hurt in this boxing game."
Spinks and Bundrage had been penciled in for March 6 on the undercard of the Devon Alexander-Juan Urango junior welterweight unification fight, but promoter Don King told ESPN.com it would probably move to a March 27 card he's working on in Europe to allow Spinks additional time to make weight.
King added that he's still searching for a March 6 site because Treasure Island in Las Vegas changed its mind about hosting it.
Cunningham, who trains and manages Alexander, said he doubts Spinks will make the weight.
"When he came to the gym two weeks ago I told him straight out about my decision," Cunningham said. "He just said, 'OK,' and he will do what he will do. I wish him the best but I can no longer be involved with an unmotivated fighter. This whole situation with a fighter who is unmotivated, undisciplined, weighed almost 50 pounds over his fighting weight, it's old. When it gets to a point where you're not excited about going to the gym to train a particular fighter it's time to move on."
When Cunningham and Spinks split for one fight, Spinks lost his junior middleweight belt to Verno Phillips in 2008. For Spinks' next bout, Cunningham was back in the corner as Spinks outpointed St. Louis rival Deandre Latimore to regain a vacant belt in April 2009.
"Cory is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, but the discipline and focus are not there," Cunningham said. "This is the wrong business to be in if you're not going to be focused and disciplined."
Source: ESPN
Spinks is due to make a mandatory defense against Cornelius "K9" Bundrage in March but Cunningham said he was so disgusted with Spinks' conditioning that he ended things.
"Cory and I are no longer affiliated," said Cunningham, who also served as Spinks' manager for many years. "I fear for his safety because he weighed close to 200 pounds when he finally showed up at the gym and I refuse to try to get him ready for a fight eight weeks away in that condition. I fear for his health. That's how people get hurt in this boxing game."
Spinks and Bundrage had been penciled in for March 6 on the undercard of the Devon Alexander-Juan Urango junior welterweight unification fight, but promoter Don King told ESPN.com it would probably move to a March 27 card he's working on in Europe to allow Spinks additional time to make weight.
King added that he's still searching for a March 6 site because Treasure Island in Las Vegas changed its mind about hosting it.
Cunningham, who trains and manages Alexander, said he doubts Spinks will make the weight.
"When he came to the gym two weeks ago I told him straight out about my decision," Cunningham said. "He just said, 'OK,' and he will do what he will do. I wish him the best but I can no longer be involved with an unmotivated fighter. This whole situation with a fighter who is unmotivated, undisciplined, weighed almost 50 pounds over his fighting weight, it's old. When it gets to a point where you're not excited about going to the gym to train a particular fighter it's time to move on."
When Cunningham and Spinks split for one fight, Spinks lost his junior middleweight belt to Verno Phillips in 2008. For Spinks' next bout, Cunningham was back in the corner as Spinks outpointed St. Louis rival Deandre Latimore to regain a vacant belt in April 2009.
"Cory is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, but the discipline and focus are not there," Cunningham said. "This is the wrong business to be in if you're not going to be focused and disciplined."
Source: ESPN