Vitali Klitschko

By David Lahr: At yesterday’s press conference, World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) had some bold words for former WBC champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs), commenting ”I want to clear up one thing: I am the true heavyweight champion.” This was said in part because of Vitali’s champion emeritus status, which has allowed him to leapfrog over the other higher, probably more deserving, top ranked fighters in the WBC to land a shot against the 27 year-old Peter without even having to fight his way to the top number #1 spot.

This obviously was a great benefit for the injury-prone Vitali, who has had a problem with trying to make it into his bouts without sustaining one kind of injury or another. Perhaps the worst of Vitali’s injuries involves his right knee, which he previously had surgery on in 2004. However, he’s also had problems with his back and shoulder as well, both of which have led to fight cancellations in the past. Obviously, Vitali is going to be extra-careful while training for this bout, as this may be his final chance for a title shot in his career.

By Jason Kim – Photo by Tom Casino/SHOWTIME – In today’s press conference at the Gallagher’s Steak House, New York, New York, former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) had this to say about current WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter, whom he fights on October 11th at the O2 World Arena, Kreuzberg, in Berlin, Germany: “I feel sorry for Peter that I must fight him…It will probably end between rounds four-six. I have a lot of presents ready for Peter for October 11.”

For his part, Peter, 27, has this to say about the 37 year-old Vitali Klitschko: “I am making one promise today. I will knock Vitali out. Trust me. I will knock out Vitali, and then I will beat his brother (IBF/WBO Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko). There is no doubt about that.”

The fight between the two sluggers, both which combined have knocked out an incredible 84% of their opponents. The 6’7″ 250 lb. Vitali is the more purer knockout artist, having stopped 34 of his 37 opponents inside the distance. However, many of those wins have come against much softer opposition than what Peter has faced in his short seven-year boxing career.

By Scott Gilfoid: After four years out of the ring and without one tune-up, former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) is going to be making what appears to be a hasty decision to make a comeback against WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) on October 11th, at the O2 World Arena, Kreuzberg, in Berlin, Germany. I could somehow understand Vitali’s desire to make a comeback if he had at least fought two or three opponents previous to his upcoming bout with Peter and proved that he can still fight, or even that he can make it into the ring without injuring.

However, give the absence of any fights in recent years, I can’t help but to think that Vitali is going to take a serious beating at the hands of Peter. In his prime, I would have picked Vitali to soundly defeat for the simple reason because he has the much better boxing skills, much bigger size and reach, equally good power and an excellent chin to go with all those assets. But, when you’re talking about a 37 year-old fighter with a history of serious injuries, some of which have caused him to cancel all of his latest attempts at making into the ring, it seems to be a bad omen for Vitali.

By Jim Dower: It seems like ages I’ve waited for this match-up to occur, and finally we have a date set – October 11th – for WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) to defend his title against former WBC title holder Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs), the older brother of current IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

For a short period of time in 2004 (okay, a really short period of time, I know) Vitali was considered by many boxing fans to be the best heavyweight in the division. However, he had his potential greatness taken from him by a failing body, which in 2004 was ravaged by one injury after another sustained while trying to train for his title defense against then challenger Hasim Rahman. Vitali ended up retiring from boxing in early 2005 after a string of injuries, all sustained while in training. At this point, there are serious doubts that Vitali will every make it into the fight, with most knowledgeable boxing fans feeling that he won’t make it in one piece.

Peter, 27, won the WBC heavyweight title in March 2008, stopping 39 year-old Oleg Maskaev in the 6th round. The outcome was expected due to Maskaev’s age and his recent injuries to his back that had postponed an earlier title defense against Peter.

By Eric Thomas: In the latest boxing news, former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) has reportedly signed on to fight current WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) on October 11th, likely to be at the Os World Arena, in Berlin, Germany. Although Vitali has signed on for the fight, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he will make it to the fight given his recent history of canceling bouts due to various injuries of one kind or another. At this date, Vitali has canceled his last four bouts due to injuries to his knee and back.

However, Samuel Peter, 27, is very eager to fight Vitali, wanting to get revenge for an earlier loss three years ago to Vitali’s brother Wladimir, who defeated Peter by a 12-round unanimous decision in 2005. Peter recently said that Vitali will have to take his punishment “like a man,” which seems to indicate that Peter isn’t particularly impressed with Vitali’s courage at this point. If Peter is successfully in defeating Vitali, which considering Vitali’s four years in inactivity is a high likelihood, then Peter wants to take on Vitali’s brother Wladimir immediately after that, a fight which would set up another “Revenge of the brother” type scenarios.

By Eric Thomas: Let me start of by saying, I’ve never been much of a fan of former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs). I love the sport of boxing, but I never cared for either of the Klitschko brothers, especially Vitali, who never really impressed me much with the ordinary boxing skills that he showed in the ring, not to mention his tendency to experience injuries almost at the drop of the hat. I do like to think of myself as being fair, and not blinded by my dislike of a fighter when judging whether or not they have a chance at winning a particular fight. With that said, I really don’t have much faith in Vitali being able to defeat Peter, 27, the new WBC heavyweight champion, in their upcoming bout in October. I have even less faith that Vitali will even make it into the fight with suffering some kind of injury or another, likely another injury to his back or his knee, both of them chronic problems for the soon to be 37 year-old Vitali.

I’m also somewhat sickened by the fact that Klitschko was given the status of emeritus, a token title given because of him having retired as champion in early 2005, which vaulted him over more deserving top contenders in the WBC.