Peter "Sugarfoot" Cunningham is a
retired Canadian kickboxer and martial arts actor. Peter, like many
others, wanted to train in the martial arts after watching Bruce Lee
movies. His professional kickboxing career spanned 18 years, where he became a
7-time World Champion, and in 1998 became the first inductee into the ISKA
Hall of Fame.
Cunningham got the nickname "Sugarfoot" because of his
extremely fast and technical kicking abilities. He also incorporated boxing hand
techniques, defense and footwork into his style, and held a 10-4 record as a
professional in that sport.
He fight against some of the best fighters in the world such
as Sakad Petchindee, Dida, Ronnie Green, Richard Sylla, Rod Kei, Kittikasem,
Pat Romero, Juan Torres, and many more. Cunningham retired from
kickboxing, with a record of 50-1-1 with 21 KO's, after defeating
Dida Diafat (in a rematch) in June 1996, by decision, in Paris,
France.
Peter authored the definitive kickboxing training
manual, "Civilized Warring: Fundamental Kickboxing Techniques"
(with Robert Mickey) in 1996. When opportunities in kickboxing started
to become scarce in the mid 1980s, he made the transition into working as an
actor in both film and television. In his first role, (as lightweight
champion fighter Frank Peters) he faced off with action star Jean-Claude
Van Damme in the 1985 martial arts film, No Retreat, No Surrender.
He was also featured in the 1986 Yuen Biao/Corey Yuen film Righting
Wrongs.
Additionally Peter guest starred opposite David
Carradine on the "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues"
television series (1993) and worked on big budget features "I
Spy", where he doubled Eddie Murphy (2002), and "The
Fighter" (2010), playing the role of Mike 'Machine Gun'
Mungin. Peter is currently a popular kickboxing instructor and
coach in the Southern California area.
- BOXING
PRO BOXING
RECORD: 10-4
- Edmonton Golden Gloves, Gold Medal, 1981.
- Canadian Games, Bronze Medal, 1981
- Number 1 Ranked Lightweight boxer in Canada (fought for Canadian
Lightweight boxing title) 1986.
- KICKBOXING AND MUAY THAI
PRO KICKBOXING RECORD: 50-1-1 / 21 KO/TKOS
- W.K.A (World Karate Association) Lightweight World Champion.
- W.K.A. Super Lightweight World Champion.
- W.K.A. Junior Welterweight World Champion.
- K.I.C.K. (Karate International Council of Kickboxing) Super
Lightweight World Champion.
- I.M.F. (International Muay Thai Federation) Junior Welterweight
World Champion.
- W.M.A.C. World Junior Welterweight World Champion.
- I.S.K.A. (International Sport Karate Association) Welterweight
World Champion.
- I.S.K.A. inaugural Hall of Fame inductee 1998.
- Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2013.
- NOTABLE FIGHTS
- Sakad Petchyindee (twice)
- 1988 in Anaheim, California (draw)
- 1990 in Sydney, Australia (win)
- Dida Diafat (twice)
- 1992-11-21 in Paris, France (draw)
- 1996 in Paris, France (win, retirement fight)
- Ronnie Green: 1993 in Las Vegas, Nevada (win)
- Lafayette Lawson: 1990 in Las Vegas, Nevada (win)
- Asuka Nobuya: 1989 in Hollywood, California (win)
- Richard Sylla: 1986 in Paris, France (loss)
- Prasert Kitikasem: 1989 in Anaheim, California (win)
- TRAINERS
- Robert Supeene Sr.
- Tom Forstreuter
- Ed Couzens
- Benny "The Jet" Urquidez
- MARTIAL ARTS
- 5th degree black belt in Kempo Karate.
- 2nd degree black belt in Chito-Ryu Karate
- ACTING
- His first role he played the lightweight champion fighter Frank Peters and
faced off with action star Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 1986 martial arts film
No Retreat, No Surrender.
- He was also featured in the 1986 Yuen Biao/Corey Yuen film Righting Wrongs.
- Peter guest starred opposite David Carradine on the Kung Fu: The Legend
Continues television series (1993)
- He worked on big budget feature I Spy (2002), where he doubled Eddie
Murphy.
- He was in The Fighter (2010), playing the role of Mike 'Machine Gun'
Mungin.
- PETE CUNNINGHAM VIDEOS
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