By Dave Sholler
Photo © Javiel Centeno/Fightwireimages.com

Samuel Peter may be the “Nigerian Nightmare” in the ring, but to fans of the heavyweight division, he may have fulfilled a long-awaited dream Saturday. 

After a decisive win over James Toney in their Sunshine State rematch, Peter was humble in his post fight interview with Showtime’s Jim Gray, acknowledging that he would need to beat one of the current champions to be considered the top heavyweight.

For the first time in what seems like forever, a legitimate heavyweight contender resisted the urge to trash talk and instead projected a sense of confidence that spoke for itself.

Considering the sore loser speech given by Toney after the fight – a bout in which he was battered from pillar to post, yet still claimed to have won – Peter’s humility was refreshing.

What's even more rejuvenating is that Peter put the heavyweight division on notice Saturday by letting his gloves do the talking.  Instead of verbal sparring and finger pointing, Peter used all of his in-ring tools and showed signs of maturation.

It's fitting that Peter chose to send a message this way.  Instead of trying to talk his way into title contention, he boxed his way in. Against Toney, Peter proved that he could add technique to his arsenal. He effectively used his jab to bloody Toney’s mouth, even knocking him down for the first time in years. Peter also showed a better use of combinations and in-ring finesse.

At one point late in the fight, Peter was sticking and moving like a featherweight. For these reasons, Peter evolved from a potential prospect to prospective champion.

Some critics argue that Peter didn’t prove much considering the diminished skills of Toney. However, regardless of how old, round or slow Toney gets, he’ll always be able to slip a jab and knock you out. Thanks to a good training team and solid personal work ethic, Peter learned how to exploit Toney’s weaknesses and utilize his own strengths. That in itself is a huge step in the championship direction for Peter.

Young fighters sometimes get pigeonholed into one single game plan. For example, Peter may have defeated Wladimir Klitschko on Sept. 24, 2005 had he been more of a boxer instead of a puncher. However, Peter swung for the fences a lot and lost a decision despite knocking Klitschko on his rear three times. Judging by his performance Saturday, it seems as if Peter understands that being one-dimensional severely curtails your chances of becoming a great fighter, not to mention a champion.

Shortly before Jimmy Lennon announced the decision last weekend, Peter’s camp began cutting the tape from his hands. As the sweaty, white adhesive unraveled off his hands, it was seemingly symbolic of the development of Samuel Peter. No longer was he just a power puncher. No longer was he just a prospect.

You saw what I did tonight,” Peter said. “I taunted him [Toney]. I gave him the Muhammad Ali shuffle, with a little Floyd Mayweather, too. This was my best fight."

With each piece of tape that was removed, a knock on Peter’s skills disappeared. He proved what he needed to and did so without having to utter a word.

Dave Sholler is a freelance columnist whose work has appeared in a variety of publications, including The Press of Atlantic City. Sholler can be heard throughout the week on ESPN 1450 AM in Atlantic City. You can reach Sholler by emailing him at shollerholla4@hotmail.com.