Into my competitive career (1980), I started hearing of an up and coming fighter. My first chance to watch him was when he battled one of my athletes twice and handily won. Slick, smooth and smart in the ring, I had heard from people already involved with him at this stage of his career (training mates including Ivan Remillard) that Peter and they would watch footage of me kicking and try to emulate it. For Peter to add this to his already impressive arsenal, I consider this to be an honor. A few years later (1983) he took an opportunity that I had hedged on (1981) and he became Benny "The Jet" Urquidez's right hand man in the USA. In the late 1980's he started travelling back between the USA and Canada and he brought some of his fighters to my events. However, Canada did not seem lucrative enough for him and he decided to put his effort back into the USA. Peter has always helped me and my fighters in the past and for this I thank him greatly. He is a truly giving man. I recently bumped into him in Germany and we spent some time talking to each other for this interview.

Mike Miles: I guess the biggest question asked of you lately is whether or not you will continue fighting or work in the movies. What are your immediate plans?

Peter Cunningham: To fight 2 bouts. Possibly as early as a card that Vut (Kamnark) will be promoting in Los Angeles in February 1996.

Mike Miles: Any planned opponents?

Peter Cunningham: No planned opponents but it will be either an opponent from Holland or Thailand.

Mike Miles: Under what rules will you be fighting?

Peter Cunningham: It will be modified Muay Thai or international rules which does not allow elbows.

Mike Miles: Will clinching be allowed?

Peter Cunningham: In California? I guess moderately. Yeah I guess the way it was allowed when I fought Prasert Kittikasem. We both got hell from the referee for holding on to each other too long. (In fact by watching the video of the bout, it was not legal to clinch). I do not know how long they (California Boxing and Wrestling Commission) will allow us to grab and clinch.

Mike Miles: How about the other fight?

Peter Cunningham: After February, we have one planned for Louisiana and it will be Kickboxing, not Muay Thai. After that I will probably hang them (gloves) up.

Mike Miles: Out of curiosity, how old are you now?

Peter Cunningham: 32 years old.

Mike Miles: What is your record sitting at now?

Peter Cunningham: It is 48 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw.

Mike Miles: Who did you get the draw to?

Peter Cunningham: That was in the first encounter between Sakad Petchyindee and I.

Mike Miles: I thought you had a draw to Richard Sylla. We'll clarify this later. What titles have you won throughout your career?

Peter Cunningham: The WKA Lightweight, WKA Superlightweight, WKA Junior Welterweight (when Ronnie Green and Peter fought), IMF Title, KICK Title, the ISKA Title, and the fight in Las Vegas, the WMAC Title. It was one of those titles where you go "hmmm", but I was paid.

Mike Miles: A very big question in the media and those in the know regarding Muay Thai is what is the possibility of you fighting Ramon Dekker?

Peter Cunningham: It's possible, but I have never heard from Ramon's people about it.

Mike Miles: I talked with Ramon awhile ago about it and he was interested in the possibility of this bout.

Peter Cunningham: Now that the Thai people are hosting many cards in the USA, they want me to fight a European or a Thai, then I know full well they can get in touch with Ramon's people, and they can try and get that going.

Mike Miles: You beat Dida Diafat who is recognized as a good Muay Thai fighter with experience. England's Ashley Gishard just defeated Dida. Would you be interested in fighting him?

Peter Cunningham: That would be cool, but in all honesty I have not seen Ashley move or fight. I know nothing about him.

Mike Miles: What was the highest purse you have received and who were you fighting against?

Peter Cunningham: It was Ronnie Green in Las Vegas in December 1993. (Peter told me the amount and it was respectable, but I told him I would not publish it).

Mike Miles: Many people have looked at the fight and felt the outcome was very close. One of the judges even gave you a ten round lead over Ronnie. How do you feel about this?

Peter Cunningham: Right after the fight I heard the (point) spread and I was surprised because I expected to hear a win by a narrow margin. Ronnie shrugged his shoulders at me while the scores were being read. He even said to me, "Look it Petey, I thought the fight was very even, maybe in the last few rounds you stretched things out a bit." I said, "Yes, I also thought it was very close and in the last few rounds I had to start attacking you more," becoming the aggressor even though this is not my style. But I was forced to do this during this fight. I walked over to Ronnie and his trainer right in the ring and said, "Ronnie, I believe I won the fight but the way the score was stretched out ... I do not agree with it." I have seen where boxer's kick the heck out of their opponent and they lose the fight! All you can do as a fighter whether you agree or disagree with the outcome is to hold your head high. I mean it is America and unfortunately sometimes this plays into the way judges score a fight.

Mike Miles: It is not your fault, as you went out and did the best you can do. You were not judging the fight. You were the one who was going out and giving your best just like Ronnie was.

Peter Cunningham: I did call him and told him that I thought the judhing was a little one sided.

Mike Miles: Another controversial fight of yours was the outcome of your bout with Richard Sylla.

Peter Cunningham: Well, with this fight I was both the World Lightweight and Superlightweight Champion. Howard Hansen (then the WKA President) said, "Hey look at this Petey, you are the Champion of both divisions and Richard (Sylla) can barely make the Superlightweight division's weight. Why not let Richard have the Superlightweight division, because you are going to have to give up one of the titles in six months anyways?" I could not hold both titles and I was going to have to give one up in six months. Howard said, "You can stay as the Lightweight, Richard can win the Superlightweight Title and in six months he is going to retire anyways. Then you can go and fight for it again." I said, "Well what I do not want is a loss on my record." Howard then "ummed and awwed" about it. Rueben Urquidez was my trainer and manager at the time and he did not allow the loss to be on my record. That is what this is all about.

Mike Miles: On the fight video it was announced as a loss for you, though I agree it was very close. I have many friends who are/were involved in Boxe Francaise - Savate and Richard Sylla was their hero. They all state that you lost the fight fairly and squarely.

Peter Cunningham: What I learned later on is that I have some friends in France who work as officials at the Kickboxing events in that country. One of them as a matter of fact told me that when they judge fights against foreign fighters, they do not even watch the bout. They just mark each round for the French fighter. They are very nationalistic that way.

Mike Miles: Still, how did the fight with Sylla all of a sudden become a win on your record? Who changed it to a win?

Peter Cunningham: (Silence)

Mike Miles: Ok ... next question. Who do you think out of everybody you fought was the toughest guy you ever fought?

Peter Cunningham: I think Sakad Petchyindee was the toughest.

Mike Miles: Which one? The first (Los Angeles) or the second encounter (Australia)?

Peter Cunningham: The first one. In the first fight I gave him too much respect. I took the fight on 10 days notice. The bout was supposed to be for Ricky O'Kane. Ricky did not want the fight and I stepped in to take it instead. I figure I performed not bad for 10 days notice. On the second bout, I worked my butt off figuring I was going to give it to Sakad good. Yes, so the first encounter was a tough bout.
The bout with Dida Diafat was also a tough one. I also fought a Thai kid by the name of Khaosad. This was in 1986 I think, and this was also a very tough bout. I watched the tape the other night and I thought "My God" because everything went. That is why it was also a very tough fight. Also on that card John Moncayo fought Dieselnoi and was destroyed by the Thai's knees. This fight for me was tough because the fight before this was my first Thai fight where I knocked the guy out. On this fight I also figured I would knock this guy out! Are you kidding? I was hitting this guy and then hitting the ground, standing up, brushing myself off and taking my time and then I would try and get on the bike again. As soon as I got on the bike again this guy would again be in my face! Thinking about it, I think this was my toughest fight.

Mike Miles: Who is your favorite active fighter?

Peter Cunningham: I like the tall and skinny guy from Holland.

Mike Miles: Ernesto Hoost.

Peter Cunningham: I love his combinations and brains when he fights. I also really like Rob Kaman. Robbie is my idol if you like. Robbie is a legend. Peter Aerts is a very good fighter and he is beating these guys but for technique like Robbie or Hoost I do not see it yet, though he does get the job done. In terms of inactive fighters, Benny Urquidez has always been my legend. That's about it.

Mike Miles: How do you feel about Rick Roufus giving himself the name "The Jet'?

Peter Cunningham: I did not like that but then again somebody could jump in with the 'Sugar...' thing. The Sugar thing was the "Sugarfoot", not the "Superfoot" or the "Sugar Ray". Him giving himself that name is all right, that's cool but it is a second string kind of thing. That name was established as Benny's name already. Rick Roufus is one of the guys I like. I like watching him. He kicks well and I have to give him that.
One thing I do not agree with and I guess I am going to have to tell him this. He went from Kickboxing to boxing and he went back to the preliminary board. I was always told you never take a step backwards. Even now if I went back and fought boxing fights I would have to do 10 rounds. I can not go back. He went back from title fights to 4 round preliminary boxing bouts. He went from being a World Champion to fighting 4 rounders.

Mike Miles: That is his management though. He is being handled by Sugar Ray's old management. Changing the subject, which discipline is your favorite - Full Contact (rules), Kickboxing (rules), or Muay Thai (rules)?

Peter Cunningham: Kickboxing is my favorite and I really like modified Muay Thai. This is my best now and I like this because I do not want to get hit with the elbows. Full out Muay Thai is too dangerous for me. The modified Muay Thai is the way the world is going to go. With a lot of Full Contact (rules), it is starting to get a second string kind of feel. I mean if one fighter can not kick well the fight does not look so good. It looks funny when the fighters try to get 8 kicks off and then they go in and slug it out and it really looks bad.

Mike Miles: What do you think of all the sanctioning bodies and so many World Champions?

Peter Cunningham: I think there should be only 3 strong bodies and then you can organize an undisputed Champion. It makes for great business. I do not see it happening, because all you need to do is look at professional boxing and it's excessive amount of sanctioning bodies.

Mike Miles: What is your opinion on the status of Kickboxing right now?

Peter Cunningham: I think the future of Kickboxing is bright because now we have a lot of promotions going on. The Thai boys are really getting into it now and promoting it like crazy and I really like that. The time is coming very, very soon where they will have the respect and be able to make some money. I did not see it in my time but in 5 to 10 years because of all the K events, the money will be there.

Mike Miles: What do you think of the K tournaments?

Peter Cunningham: It is kind of like amateur boxers, but the difference is the fact that it is Kickboxing where everything goes and that is scary because of the bruises you can sustain from the last fight before heading into the next fight. It would be better to have it over a period of time. What happens if you meet the toughest son of a gun in the first round? Ay-yay-yay! There goes your legs and even if you get by him, you are no good anymore. The pay is good and it is pretty interesting but it is very tough.

Mike Miles: That is what Rob Kaman said in the K-2 In Japan when Chuengpuek Kiatsongrit beat up his legs he decided to let the fight go. If there was a K tournament for your weight would you enter and what kind of money would you want?

Peter Cunningham: If they did the same as the heavyweights, then I would consider it. $5,000 to $10,000 to enter and to compete for $1000,000 would interest me.

Mike Miles: They just had the K-3 in Japan and they only awarded $50,000 to the winner.

Peter Cunningham: Nah. They have to give us (smaller weights) respectable money too.

Mike Miles: What do you think of the Ultimate Fighting Championship?

Peter Cunningham: I do not think it is very good for the Martial Arts. The guys throw some very sloppy s--t! It makes all Martial Artists look bad, especially some of the Kickboxing Champions that are in the event and represent our sport. I think the grapplers battle with the grapplers and the strikers battle with the strikers. The last time in the UFC I heard a Kickboxer won. I think that was great because he kicked his opponents legs out. Unfortunately, the general public will eventually be mislead to believe the Kickboxer and a grappler are all the same thing and type of Martial Artist. This I think is wrong.

Mike Miles: Would you ever enter something like this?

Peter Cunningham: There has been talk of an event for smaller guys and if they seperated the disciplines by striking and grappling and if the pay was good then I would go. You have to remember that the promoter would have to pay me some very good money.

Mike Miles: Petey, it has been good to see you again and I hope it is not so long until the next time. I might have a few kids fighting on Vut's card (February 1996) as well so we will probably get a chance to see each other again. Good luck and take care.

Peter Cunningham: It was great to see you again Mike. Thanks for everything.