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'Nigeria Nightmare', Samuel Peter says his target is to become undisputed boxing heavweight king of the world
By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU
Monday, September 15, 2008
Call him the Biblical Joseph the Dreamer and you may not be too far from reality, as Nigeria Nightmare, Samuel Peter, prepares himself to defend the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight belt in his cabinet against Vitali Klitschko.
Although the October 11 bout against Klitschko may be a step towards realising his dream, Peter is ready to go the extra mile to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
The current WBC champion says he’s prepared to get the best shot at all the existing heavyweight titles by fighting Klitschko’s brother, Wladimir, who holds the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organisation (WBO) and the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) heavyweight belts.
Speaking after he met Vitali in a conference to confirm their bout, Peter said the match with Vitali has been won and lost and promised to only discuss a possible unification match with Wladimir.
"I will knock Vitali out and then go ahead to beat his brother, Wladimir to become the world undisputed boxing king."
Vitali Klitschko and Peter’s manager traded verbal jabs recently over the coming WBC heavyweight title bout next month.
The fight will be staged at the O2 World Arena on October 11.
Klitschko lost the WBC belt in 2005 after withdrawing from a title bout because of a torn right knee ligament.
"You look a bit nervous because you go to press conference with big bodyguards," Klitschko said to Peter and added: "Don't worry, we will not fight before the fight. I won't attack you."
Peter maintained a stoic silence and brushed off the remark in his brief statements. However, the retort came minutes later from Peter's manager, Ivaylo Gotsev.
"Nobody is going to beat you up before the fight," Gotsev said. "All you've got to worry about is one match, and that's coming up on October 11, that's a promise."
Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) took the WBC interim title by easily beating Jameel McCline on points in September 2007. Earlier this year, the Nigerian-born, Las Vegas-based fighter took care of Oleg Maskaev with a devastating sixth-round knockout in a Cancun bullfighting ring, a fight that strengthened his grip on the WBC belt.
After that victory, Peter called out for a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger brother and holder of the IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts. Wladimir is also responsible for the only loss on Peter's record. Instead, Peter will fight Vitali, the "champion emeritus" of the WBC belt.
Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) has been out of the ring since an eighth-round win over Danny Williams on December 11, 2004.
Klitschko said the chance to hold a world title along with his brother has been a lifelong dream.
"Without dreams, life is boring," Klitschko said. "For years, it has been my dream to be a world champion at the same time as my brother."
Vitali said: "I feel sorry for Peter that I must fight him. It will probably end between rounds four and six. I have a lot of presents ready for him (Peter) on October 11."
The fight between the two sluggers, both which combined have knocked out an incredible 84 per cent of their opponents with Vitali, a more purer knockout artist, having stopped 34 of his 37 opponents inside the distance. However, many of those wins have come against much softer opposition than what Peter has faced in his short seven-year boxing career.
The age factor, combined with the inactivity of Vitali, a fighter who hasn’t thrown a punch in anger in over four long years, may end up being the crucial factor in the fight.
At the press conference, one couldn’t help but notice the generous amount of silver sprinkled among Vitali’s once all brown hair. At 37, Vitali is no longer a young fighter, and given his history of injuries and his extended amount of time away from the ring, it would be of interest whether he could still fight hard enough to take Peter out or last the full 12-round distance with him.
Peter makes no bones about the type of fighter he is - a pure slugger that depends on his power rather than finesse to get his wins - and will be putting an extensive amount of pressure on the ageing Vitali from the very start of the bout.
Vitali has never been much of a runner, which may be a factor that works against him against Peter, because without the ability to move away from Peter, like Vitali’s brother, Wladimir did in the process of beating Peter by a narrow 12-round unanimous decision in 2005, Vitali may find himself forced to stand and trade with the more powerful Nigerian fighter.
In what could be another Custer’s last stand, Vitali may find himself pinned down and surrounded by the superior-armed Peter and unable to escape his showers of heavy block-busting shots to the head. Vitali has never been much of a clincher in his prime, but that’s something he’s going to need to learn how to do in a hurry, because he’s not going to be able to have much of a chance of winning unless he can slow down Peter, and keep him from getting his big shots off.
One benefit that Vitali has, however, is his height, which may make it a little more difficult for Peter to land his wide hooks to the back of Vitali’s head. It isn’t that Peter attempts to throw punches to the back of his opponent’s head, mind you, but rather, they end up there sometimes because of the way he throws his wide shots.
By CHIMAOBI UCHENDU
Monday, September 15, 2008
Call him the Biblical Joseph the Dreamer and you may not be too far from reality, as Nigeria Nightmare, Samuel Peter, prepares himself to defend the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight belt in his cabinet against Vitali Klitschko.
Although the October 11 bout against Klitschko may be a step towards realising his dream, Peter is ready to go the extra mile to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
The current WBC champion says he’s prepared to get the best shot at all the existing heavyweight titles by fighting Klitschko’s brother, Wladimir, who holds the International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organisation (WBO) and the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) heavyweight belts.
Speaking after he met Vitali in a conference to confirm their bout, Peter said the match with Vitali has been won and lost and promised to only discuss a possible unification match with Wladimir.
"I will knock Vitali out and then go ahead to beat his brother, Wladimir to become the world undisputed boxing king."
Vitali Klitschko and Peter’s manager traded verbal jabs recently over the coming WBC heavyweight title bout next month.
The fight will be staged at the O2 World Arena on October 11.
Klitschko lost the WBC belt in 2005 after withdrawing from a title bout because of a torn right knee ligament.
"You look a bit nervous because you go to press conference with big bodyguards," Klitschko said to Peter and added: "Don't worry, we will not fight before the fight. I won't attack you."
Peter maintained a stoic silence and brushed off the remark in his brief statements. However, the retort came minutes later from Peter's manager, Ivaylo Gotsev.
"Nobody is going to beat you up before the fight," Gotsev said. "All you've got to worry about is one match, and that's coming up on October 11, that's a promise."
Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) took the WBC interim title by easily beating Jameel McCline on points in September 2007. Earlier this year, the Nigerian-born, Las Vegas-based fighter took care of Oleg Maskaev with a devastating sixth-round knockout in a Cancun bullfighting ring, a fight that strengthened his grip on the WBC belt.
After that victory, Peter called out for a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger brother and holder of the IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts. Wladimir is also responsible for the only loss on Peter's record. Instead, Peter will fight Vitali, the "champion emeritus" of the WBC belt.
Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) has been out of the ring since an eighth-round win over Danny Williams on December 11, 2004.
Klitschko said the chance to hold a world title along with his brother has been a lifelong dream.
"Without dreams, life is boring," Klitschko said. "For years, it has been my dream to be a world champion at the same time as my brother."
Vitali said: "I feel sorry for Peter that I must fight him. It will probably end between rounds four and six. I have a lot of presents ready for him (Peter) on October 11."
The fight between the two sluggers, both which combined have knocked out an incredible 84 per cent of their opponents with Vitali, a more purer knockout artist, having stopped 34 of his 37 opponents inside the distance. However, many of those wins have come against much softer opposition than what Peter has faced in his short seven-year boxing career.
The age factor, combined with the inactivity of Vitali, a fighter who hasn’t thrown a punch in anger in over four long years, may end up being the crucial factor in the fight.
At the press conference, one couldn’t help but notice the generous amount of silver sprinkled among Vitali’s once all brown hair. At 37, Vitali is no longer a young fighter, and given his history of injuries and his extended amount of time away from the ring, it would be of interest whether he could still fight hard enough to take Peter out or last the full 12-round distance with him.
Peter makes no bones about the type of fighter he is - a pure slugger that depends on his power rather than finesse to get his wins - and will be putting an extensive amount of pressure on the ageing Vitali from the very start of the bout.
Vitali has never been much of a runner, which may be a factor that works against him against Peter, because without the ability to move away from Peter, like Vitali’s brother, Wladimir did in the process of beating Peter by a narrow 12-round unanimous decision in 2005, Vitali may find himself forced to stand and trade with the more powerful Nigerian fighter.
In what could be another Custer’s last stand, Vitali may find himself pinned down and surrounded by the superior-armed Peter and unable to escape his showers of heavy block-busting shots to the head. Vitali has never been much of a clincher in his prime, but that’s something he’s going to need to learn how to do in a hurry, because he’s not going to be able to have much of a chance of winning unless he can slow down Peter, and keep him from getting his big shots off.
One benefit that Vitali has, however, is his height, which may make it a little more difficult for Peter to land his wide hooks to the back of Vitali’s head. It isn’t that Peter attempts to throw punches to the back of his opponent’s head, mind you, but rather, they end up there sometimes because of the way he throws his wide shots.
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