By David Lahr: You got to hand it to Vitali Klitschko, he has a lot of courage to make a boxing comeback after four years out of the ring, especially in choosing perhaps the best fighter in the heavyweight division in WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) on October 11th in Berlin. But, of course, the greatest challenge of all will be for Vitali to get to the bout in one piece without falling apart from one injury or another before then. It’s been four years since Vitali last fight, at which time he defeated British heavyweight Danny Williams by an 8th round TKO in December 2004.
Though it was only four years ago, that’s practically a lifetime for a sport like boxing, which is a young man’s sport and it has a way of exposing older fighters like Vitali as old men in an instant. Whatever Klitschko may have been in the past, it’s highly unlikely that he will be even close to the same level he was four years ago when he last held the WBC heavyweight title. At that time, he may have been the best heavyweight in boxing, but that’s probably not the case any longer. There’s little doubt that Vitali has the boxing skills, size and power to defeat the Nigerian Peter, but the problem is that Vitali has often had trouble in the later rounds of his fight, and one could expect that he probably hasn’t improved in that area with the significant time that he’s been away from boxing.
For this reason, it will probably work in Vitali’s favor if he can try and take Peter out as fast as he can before he starts wearing down. Peter showed himself to being susceptible in the early rounds against 6′6″ Jameel McCline, who hurt him with a big hook and then proceeded to knock Peter down three times in succession. McCline, however, ran out of gas and wasn’t able to find the finishing tough to taking Peter out. If Vitali can hurt Peter, he may prove to much more potent.
Say what you want about Vitali, he has always been an excellent finisher when he has an opponent hurt. Vitali is deadly accurate with his right hand, and if he can land one or two big shots, he could perhaps take Peter out if he can get enough power into the shot. Vitali will likely still have his power, if not his speed, which is why I give him a puncher’s chance at defeating Peter. Minus that, however, I think Peter will probably beat him.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
These men’s styles make for an aggressive, competitive bout.
The tangibles noted in your article do, in fact, favor the “Nightmare”, yet the psychological may favor “Dr. Ironfist”.
Why? This Champion is coming off two Mayorally defeats in Kiev and that sort of thing sets a fighter to fight in a way he knows best. He also lost his chance to avenge his amatuer loss to OLEG,
which, for Vitale, who fights for vengence (Note his comments regarding Danny Williams ruining his dream of fighting his ‘idol’, Mike Tyson,
and , of course Sanders for knocking out his ‘littlle’ bro) and the way young Champ Peters overestimnates himself at this point… do not be suprised if we see precise, classical boxing iin accurate 1-2’s from a man a bit too large foul behind the head, lateral movement, maybe getting wobbled by Peter’s power shots at some point.
yet accentuating what Wladmir tried to teach Peter regarding what he still needs to learn. Conditioning may WELL prove a deciding factor. Vitale is a boxer educated beyond the norm and with enough assurance) to pull out of less meaningful bouts if not at his best and motivated to prove his courage when critcized as he has been (Note the valiant performance with Lewis to excorise the Byrd injury-loss.) So expect his cardiovascular to reflect years of training scientifically even though without actual bouts. Peter needs to stop bragging, accept his frailty along the stretch against Wladmir, recognise that the vulnerability displayed against McCline would be ruthlessly exploited against his experienced and lethal opponent.
Expect ACTION!
August 26th, 2008 at 5:22 am
O, it will be a great fight! I like it very much. Hope there will not be prefight injuries.
September 12th, 2008 at 10:52 am
60% for peter and 40% fr vitali
October 4th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I doubt the young Peters can over come even an old VtaliS VERY LONG trip hammer jab,if McCline can set him up with his jab , Vitali left jab will probabley destroy him ,I take Klischko within 7 rounds.