Klitschko promises to KO Sam Peter

Team Klitschko promise to KO Sam Peter By Ant Evans: In the most consequential and potentially exciting heavyweight fight of the year, fallen 'heir apparent' Wladimir Klitschko puts his career on the line September 24 against the deadly dangerous and unbeaten Nigerian puncher Samuel Peter. What makes this fight so intriguing is that there are compelling arguments for either 250lbers using this Atlantic City showdown as a springboard to becoming the inheritor of Lennox Lewis's as yet unclaimed throne. The raw, unbeaten 24-year-old Peter is already beginning to capture the imagination with his Liston-like features and Tyson-like highlight reel knockouts, but, cooler heads argue, the 'Nigerian Nightmare' has yet to prove himself against what passes for even today's 'elite' heavies. A win here against the vastly experienced Klitschko, 44-3 (40), will leave no doubt that Peter has the potential to be the first heavyweight breakout star of the 21st century. While critics query Peter's readiness for the task, the big question chained around the 29-year-old Klitschko's neck remains 'is he damaged goods'? The LA-based Ukrainian has seen his reputation blown to smithereens in the past few years with crushing KO defeats to Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster and then a shaky performance against DaVarryl Williamson last October. Considered an 'on top only' type fighter, there are huge question marks hanging over this otherwise undoubtedly talented boxer/puncher. "People have lost faith in Wladimir," trainer Emanuel Steward admitted to SecondsOut. "They are talking about his chin, about his stamina, his confidence but this fight with Peter will put Wladimir where he belongs, right alongside his brother (WBC champ Vitali) as the two of the very best heavyweights in the world. We had other options available to us but we pushed for this fight with Samuel Peter. The other fights on the table were good fights but they would not have done for Wladimir's reputation what a win over Peter will do." The bout goes ahead as a final eliminator for both the IBF and WBO heavyweight crowns so there is no 'world title' on the line, but HBO were anxious to make the fight, as were both fighters. Klitschko told SecondsOut: "I heard that I am crazy for taking this fight but I'm very excited about this chance. His manager (Ivailo Gotzev) is saying that I am a 'dead man walking' but tell him 'dead men' cannot have 'nightmares'. "All I have to do in this fight is just show my skills. That is all. All this shit about my chin, my stamina and so on, I hear a lot about it but I have my own opinion. At least they are not talking bad about my balls. But opinions are not important to me at this time what is important is how I beat Sam Peter. I'm tired of talking and defending myself with words, now I have a fight (scheduled) where I can say nothing and just prove there is nothing bad about my chin or stamina. "Peter is strong and punches very well but I don't need to show my chin and allow Peter to hit me to (satisfy) the people who are writing I have no chin. I've seen videos and I have his body shape, his tactics and punches already in my mind." Steward elaborated: "This is the perfect fight for us. This is the fight that Wladimir and I wanted out of all the ones on the table. I don't even see it as a dangerous fight for Wladimir. Every fights has risks, but this isn't 'dangerous' for us at all. Wladimir will turn Sam Peter, hit him with the jab, then slowly bring the left hook and right hand behind it as Peter gets tired. It will be a systematic destruction and you will see a knockout in seven, eight rounds." Tough talk, but the memories of Klitschko getting blasted by Corrie Sanders in March 2003, his alarming April 2004 collapse against Lamon Brewster and unconvincing display against Williamson loom very large in the mind. After each of those outings Klitschko took at least once confidence builder but it remains to be seen whether or not the punching PhD has really gotten over those traumas. Steward, for his part, has no doubts: "The one area that people are so concerned about is actually the area I know is our biggest strength - Wladimir's confidence. He is extremely, extremely confident. He knows all his has to do is maximise his physical advantages (height and reach), maximise his advantages in speed, skills and experience, and this will be one of the easiest fights of his career." Kronk gym master Steward, of course, has no little experience in devising battle plans for tall, rangy box-punchers to overcome short, powerhouse brawlers. He said: "From Tommy Hearns v Roberto Duran to Lennox Lewis against David Tua and Mike Tyson, my specialty has always been training tall fighters to beat short, aggressive fighters. I have many techniques I can employ to accomplish this and in Wladimir I have the most talented heavyweight in the division. "People laugh at me when I say that but they laughed at me when I took on Lennox Lewis in 1994. I was heavily criticised when I left my fighter Oliver McCall, who'd just knocked out Lennox, to train Lennox. People thought I was totally crazy because I also had to give up working with all of Don King's fighters, not just Oliver but also Julio Caesar Chavez and also Mike Tyson when he got out of prison. But I decided to go with Lennox because I knew that despite the flaws he was easily the most talented fighter out there. "It took time but eventually I was proved right about Lennox and I will be proved right about Wladimir. I've passed up many opportunities because I'm with Wladimir but I want to focus on Wladimir."