Wladimir Klitschko v Samuel Peter II
The action, the drama, the glory; nothing beats a world championship heavyweight fight.
Throughout history there have been some truly momentous occasions, some of the greatest happenings in sport have come in a clash for a belt in the unlimited weight division. Shame about this one then.
Ukrainian battering-ram Wladimir Klitschko takes on Samuel Peter again, with his IBO IBF and WBO titles up for grabs. You can pretty much guess what’s going to happen, jab-jab-jab-jab-jab-jab-clinch.
To be fair you can’t criticise the Klitschko brothers, short of going all Dr Frankenstein and creating a heavyweight contender from the parts of the various also-rans who have fallen short, or even less likely, getting Klitschko and David Haye to agree terms, there’s not much they can do.
You can only beat what’s in front of you and once again what’s in front of Klitschko is Peter. To be fair first time they fought “The Nigerian Nightmare” floored the big Ukrainian three times. At the time “Dr Steelhammer’s” career was in jeopardy, he was coming in off two losses in his last six fights, but he proved against Peter that he could take a punch as well as throw them.
The trouble with Peter is all he does is try and land one big finisher. Sometimes it works, often it doesn’t. He was out-boxed by Klitschko in the first fight and it’s not every day you say that. The fact he knocked the good doctor down three times and still didn’t win says a lot about his overall ability. He took some big hits in that fight and it will be interesting to see if he is still as durable, because he has been rocked a few times since then.
Peter has lost to Klitschko’s brother, Vitali, in a bit more convincing fashion as well as a disappointing loss to Eddie Chambers who in turn was destroyed by Klitschko, which doesn’t bode well.
That’s not to rule Peter out entirely, he has a puncher’s chance. In fact he looks in good shape, arguably better than he did five years ago, he is one of those fighters who when hit, he hits back harder. The trouble is the heavy-fisted Nigerian is not a distance fighter and Klitschko can go 12 rounds all day long and he will frustrate the contender and not allow him the time he needs to unload his bombs.
Of course you know what you get from Klitschko, he’s always in great shape, got a solid jab, nice right handed delivery and a slightly questionable chin.
These are two of the fittest heavyweights around, but expect a slow, plodding bout with a lot of clinching. For someone who can bang like Peter he rarely comes inside, if he could somehow slip past the Ukrainians jab and work his body he could be in luck, but really he is too slow.
Five years ago they were both quicker and Klitschko was able to move out the way of the tortoise-like Peter’s piledrivers. He didn’t always get out the way though and fell like a great oak when a whomper-stomper landed flush, but clambered of the deck for a hard fought win. You get the feeling that was probably the best of Peter and he has rarely looked as formidable since the defeat.
Its possible Klitschko could meet the canvas again, It would be a real division-opener if the champion were to lose, but realistically Peter won’t do enough to take the fight overall and the Nightmare’s heavyweight dreams will most likely go up in smoke.
Prediction: Klitschko unanimous decision
It’s hard to see either of the Klitschkos losing these days. Peter has been in the ring with both brothers and knows what’s required. He has the power to trouble them but little else.
A slightly older, leggy Dr Steelhammer will set out to prolong the fight rack up the rounds with his jab and hold on in periods of uncertainty while he sees out the clock.
It would be exciting if Peter won, but he probably won’t.
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