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Wladimir Klitschko
vs
Samuel Peter
Saturday, Sept 24th could be explosive and could very well be just what the Heavyweight division needs right about now. For fight fans, this one is worth watching. Wladimir Klitschko (44-3 with 40 ko's) was once THE Klitschko to watch. He was the one, of the two brothers, that progressed rapidly and was billed as the next great champ. Boxing folks already had him defeating Lennox Lewis.
But that scenario never played out. Instead, Wladimir Klitschko was taken out by long time journeyman Corrie Sanders. Sanders caught Wladimir Klitschko early and ended the fight in two rounds. Exposing Wladimir Klitschko as a fighter with a weak chin and stamina problems.
Many fighters are never the same in the ring after being knocked out. Such has been the case with Wladimir Klitschko. His last lost came against current WBO champ Lamon Brewster, a fight in which Klitschko was dominating for four rounds before running out of gas and being taken out himself.
Klitschko will be taking on Samuel Peter, aka the Nigerian Nightmare. Peter is 24-0 with 21 of those fights coming by way of knockout. From the looks of it, this kid can bang. I say from the looks of it, because to this point, he has fought absolutely nobody. Not his fault, of course. All fighters are brought up against cupcakes to pad their records and gain them ring experience. Tyson did it. Lewis did it. They all did it. Samuel Peter is no different. He has fought tomato cans. But he has looked impressive in beating those tomato cans. No question this kid can punch, which makes this a dangerous fight for Klitschko, but at the same time, Samuel Peter has never been in the ring with anyone even close to Wladimir Klitschko's talent level. So this fight will answer alot of questions for both fighters.
Wladimir Klitschko has the physical attributes and skills to win this fight. He's an absolute giant at 6'6'' and has a huge reach advantage. Klitschko has a great jab to go with that reach advantage and can bang with both hands. It's safe to say Samuel Peter has never been hit with the likes of Klitschko's power.
Wladimir Klitschko needs to test this kid early. If it becomes evident that the kid can take a punch, then Klitschko needs to slow things down. Use his jab. Win rounds with his superior size and boxing ability. Even clutch, grab and hold in the middle rounds to conserve energy and make sure he's there for the end.
If you are able to neutralize a big puncher like Samuel Peter, they tend to become nothing more than average fighters as the fight goes on. Fighters who have a big punch but aren't well rounded, complete fighters tend to panic if they don't get you out of there early. They can't handle a 12 round chess match.
It's very rare that we ever back a fighter with a questionable chin on these pages. Those fighters can disappoint you right up till the 12th and final round. You just never know if and when they are going to get caught with a shot.
But we can't pass up the dog price with a superior fighter.
Plus, we may have two fighters with questionable chins. The verdict is still out on whether there's glass in the jaw of Samuel Peter.
Wladimir Klitschko can win this fight one of two ways. He can test this kid early to see where his chin stands. If the kid has no chin, Klitschko can get him out of there early. If the kid can take a punch, Klitschko should be able to win round after round with his superior skills and physical advantages. He can win this fight with his jab alone. He needs to keep Peter on the outside and needs to conserve his energy if it becomes apparent that it's going to be a long night.
This fight figures to deliver as promised either way. As a fight fan, I'm happy to see some buzz in the heavyweight division. A good fight here regardless of the outcome will have a carry over effect and will continue to create a buzz in the division long after it's over.
So sit back, pop a cold one, and LETS GET READY TO RUUUUUUUUMBLE!!!!
Prediction - Wladimir Klitschko by KO in 3