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 © Curtis McCormick |
A monumentally important heavyweight bout took place Saturday night at Atlantic City’s historic Boardwalk Hall between former WBO Champion Wladimir Klitschko and undefeated rising contender Samuel Peter and SaddoBoxing was there to bring this report and massive photo gallery.
Samuel Peter came into the ring first to the reggae tune “The Harder They Come” |
(The Harder They Fall), ratcheting up the tone to the already tense atmosphere at Boardwalk Hall. Wladimir Klitschko came in a few minutes later to a Red Hot Chili Peppers song that seemed to perfectly mirror the brutal twelve rounds to come. After a moving tribute to Leavander Johnson by ring announcer Michael Buffer, the introductions took place. The combatants stood only about eight to ten feet apart as they were announced with Klitschko standing head and shoulders above everyone else in the ring. The two fighters just glare at each other the entire time.
The first round begins and Klitschko immediately maintains a shorter distance than expected to the powerful “Nigerian Nightmare”. But, it’s still a distance that apparently allows the giant Ukrainian to keep Peter at bay with the jab but still avoid or nullify the inevitable rushes from the African. Klitschko shows good footwork as he circles but appears somewhat uncertain when Peter moves in with wide, arcing punches. It’s a good round for both as each find the other with decent shots and neither man looks troubled by the power of each other. Klitschko takes the round by being busier.
Klitschko 10-9
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The second gets a bit more eventful with Klitschko still using the jab but he begins to grab Peter when the shorter man gets in close. Peter launches a good left hook that Klitschko takes without blinking. Klitschko keeps his opponent off balance with the jab and constant movement before ducking a huge roundhouse right. Klitschko is keeping his left very low, around his waist and draws several wild shots from Peter, none of which land. Klitschko then nails Peter with the first of many long right crosses and the pro Ukrainian crowd goes wild. Peter tries to retaliate with lunging blows but Klitschko dances away. The two trade left hooks before Klitschko rams home a right and then wraps up Peter. They break and the former WBO titlist sends in a left before Peter charges and gets in two shots to a backpedaling Klitschko, who evades the rest of the punches with his footwork. A good exchange follows and Klitschko is beginning to have a hard time holding Peter in the clinches but still is able to maintain control. Klitschko jams in another good right before Peter succeeds with a hard right to the body and then hits Klitschko with a lunging left hook at the bell.
Klitschko 10-9
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Peter seems perplexed by the constant circling and jabbing campaign being waged by his opponent and spends the early part of the third trying to close distance. While he can’t navigate his way past the jab, Peter decides to go to the body and scores with a shot. Klitschko misses the first part of a combination but the right hand at the end of it doesn’t. The towering European cracks Peter with two sobering rights and then grabs his foe. Klitschko then gets on his bike to avoid the inevitable return fire from Peter, who finds nothing but air with two arcing right hands. Klitschko grabs him, cracks in a thudding right to the body and grabs Peter again. The Las Vegas resident is clearly getting fed up and throws the huge Ukrainian towards the center of the ring after missing a big right hand. Peter does get in a left hook but was off balance when he threw it and the blow has no effect on his adversary. Klitschko finds Peter with a rippling combination in close but the compact Nigerian counters with a booming right to the ribs. As the round closes Peter finds success with a big left hook that has Klitschko clearly shaken but the larger man still has the presence of mind to duck the follow up right hand and grab hold as the bell rings.
Peter 10-9
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The fourth round begins with Peter landing a searing right uppercut to the body that announces he’s closed the distance that Klitschko has hoped to maintain. Two more rights to Klitschko’s body follow but a cracking right from “Dr Steelhammer” halts Peter’s march. This bracing shot causes Peter to drop his hands in exasperation and Klitschko takes the opportunity to whip in a hurtful left before the two trade jabs. Peter then misses an overhand right before Klitschko rattles off a scoring combination and ducks the return fire. Peter digs in a smoldering shot to the body but Klitschko belts him with a serious looking right hand. For the first time in the bout, Peter then throws the taller man off in a clinch but has his lunging left hook blocked on the gloves of Klitschko. An exchange of jabs follows before a clinch and it seems that both fighters are winded. When they break Klitschko finds a home for a one – two before making Peter miss a big leaping left, but the African doesn’t miss a nice right hand follow up. Klitschko responds with a cracking left and Peter misses with an uppercut at the bell as Klitschko attempted to clinch.
10-10
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Peter is rampaging at the beginning of the fifth but missing with wild, air cutting swings. Klitschko wisely gets on his toes, blocks a left but gets caught with a follow up hook. Klitschko stumbles and Peter heaves a huge right that catches his hurt opponent on the back of the head. Klitschko crashes to the canvas but beats the count. Visions of Klitschko’s disastrous bouts with Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster are brought to mind but the big lad looks steadier than expected while beating the referee’s count. Klitschko nails Peter with a right hand but the Nigerian is in a hurry to finish his adversary off and cripples Vitali’s younger brother with another right. Klitschko goes to grab hold but Peter won’t have it and half shoves, half punches the wobbly foe to the canvas. Klitschko again doesn’t look too terribly hurt and beats the count. As he tries to grab onto Peter, Klitschko is getting mauled in the clinches, as he can no longer maintain control. All the effort is tiring Peter and a Klitschko right hand seems to slow him down a bit. Suddenly Peter again springs to life and tries to finish off his rival. A big right is followed by two left hooks before Peter caps it all off with an overhand right. Things are looking bad for Klitschko but instead of going down, Wlad lunges in and scores with a nice left hook before Peter bounces a counter right off his head. A brawl ensues at the end of the round but the bell rings before anything can really develop.
Peter 10-7
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At the midway point Samuel Peter appears to be firmly in control and it seems that his opponent may be on the brink of unraveling. The sixth begins with Peter stalking his prey but Klitschko is on his toes and has gone back to the jab. Peter misses a wild left hook but plants a right to the body before missing another wide left hand. Klitschko seems to have his head back together as he uses the jab to set up first a left hook then a right. Peter is waiting on one big shot and after an exchange of jabs, gets clipped with a left hook from Klitschko. A tired looking Peter misses with a right but cranks home a nice right hand to the body.
Still working off the jab, Klitschko steams in a right and then another as Peter simply stalks but is no longer throwing leather. Klitschko keeps the party going with a meaty one – two before using his feet to extract himself from the resulting revenge attempt Peter.
Klitschko 10-9
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Klitschko begins the seventh by crossing the ring quickly and jabbing the opponent but is awfully close to Peter, who just misses a fight ending left hook. Klitschko bangs home another jab but misses a right cross as Peter is starting to move his head more. The two combatants exchange jabs before Peter jabs to the body and takes a moment to adjust his trunks. Klitschko returns the favor by jabbing to Peter’s stomach and then misses a one -two combination. Klitschko then grabs Peter before uncorking a solid right to the head. Peter again is looking for one big blow to end it all but a wary Klitschko is making that difficult with a constant stick and move approach. Peter corners his man on the ropes but can’t get anything done. Peter launches an assault but finds his efforts blocked by the gloves of Klitschko who sets up Peter with the jab in order to deliver an express right hand. The shot has no effect on Peter, who by now has proven to have a serious granite jaw but one has to wonder just how long the “Nigerian Nightmare” can continue to absorb these flush monster right hands. Peter misses with a lunging left and Klitschko gets back on his bike, much to the chagrin of the crowd who rain down boos. A good exchange ensues before Klitschko grabs Peter and then belts him with a hearty left – right at the bell.
Klitschko 10-9
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The crowd cheers Klitschko at the beginning of the eighth as the fan favorite continues to work off the jab. Peter appears to have found his second wind as he absolutely attacks Klitschko with a lunging left and right. Neither attempt lands as Klitschko uses his height advantage well but Peter does find joy with a big left hook that the Eastern European man largely saw coming and was able to ride. Klitschko tries to discourage the refreshed Peter with two crisp rights but absorbs a roundhouse shot for his troubles. Dense action breaks out with Klitschko delivering a right, then a jab, then missing a left hook before Peter misses with a right and then Klitschko just misses with a major right cross before men miss with winging shots. Klitschko gets on his bike and switches directions often to keep Peter from setting up shop. Klitschko fails with a right hand before grabbing Peter. He doesn’t miss with a wicked left hook and then clinches Peter again. Klitschko again misses with a mean spirited right but slams the same hand to Peter’s body before clinching. The round ends with Klitschko missing with yet another right and Peter failing to connect with a counter left.
Klitschko 10-9
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The beginning of the ninth sees Klitschko successfully carrying out his stick and move plan before Peter tries to change the flow with a right to the body. Klitschko misses with a snappy left hook but doesn’t with a crunching right and Peter answers with a spearing right hand to the back of a spinning Klitschko but can’t connect a wild arcing left. Klitschko comes up short with a hook before the two exchange leather and then clinch. Klitschko scores with a right to Peter’s midsection before finally landing a left hook. Klitschko can’t repeat the feat and Peter starts to chase him around the ring but finds air with a whopping left hook. Klitschko regains his bearings and slams home two flush right hands before clinching Peter and walking him into the ropes. The referee cautions the giant Ukrainian for this behavior and the crowd voices their displeasure with the admonishment. Things resume with Klitschko landing a left hook before Peter zings in a giant rabbit punch. Surprisingly, Klitschko keeps his feet and Peter misses with a hurtling hook. Klitschko bangs in a left – right combo before Peter misses with a wild overhand right. After a brief trade of punches the two clinch as the bell rings.
Klitschko 10-9
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The crowd chants Klitschko’s name as they sense their man gaining the advantage but for the first time in the bout, the six foot seven inch giant isn’t the first off his stool to begin the round. Peter can smell blood as he opens the tenth by pounding Klitschko in a tussle. The big man answers back with a steaming right but Peter walks right through it and cranks out a mammoth left hook. The two brawl but neither lands anything. Klitschko uses the jab to set up a two punch broadside before clinching a tired looking Peter. The undefeated contender uncorks an unsuccessful one -two but whomps Klitschko in the small of the back with a right as the former WBO kingpin spun to avoid the headshots. Klitschko misses with a left – right and finds nothing but air with a left hook but has better results with a jarring one – two combo. Peter is undaunted by the punishment he’s taking and draws close to Klitschko before unleashing a clubbing left – right that shakes the taller man. Klitschko forges ahead with a cracking right but Peter finally lands a lunging right that has his bitter rival in definite trouble. Peter looks like a man on fire as he’s teeing off on Klitschko along the ropes. Klitschko slides off but Peter charges after him and finds the target with a perfect right hand that sends Klitschko crashing onto the floor of the ring. Amazingly the stricken man beats the count and the round ends with Peter pummeling Klitschko in the corner.
Peter 10-8
Peter is slow to get off his stool at the start of the eleventh and just misses a bombing hook. There’s a swapping of punches and Klitschko looks hurt again. Peter lunges after him but falls to the canvas. No knockdown is called but the crowd goes wild anyway. Klitschko uses his jab well as his head clears and Peter tries to get past the long stinging punch. Klitschko finds his foe with a full on left hook and uses his height to foil Peter’s retaliatory actions. Peter stalks his quarry but isn’t jabbing his way inside. There’s a rumble and Klitschko wraps up a tired Peter. When they resume Klitschko ratchets up two rights before missing with a third. The two trade rights with Peter finding Klitschko with the same punch before a clinch. After they break, Klitschko jams the oncoming Peter with a perfect right hand that freezes the powerful fighter for a split second. It’s the first time that the steel jaw of Peter has shown signs of weakening. Klitschko must have noticed as well because he launches three more huge right hand bombs that all land before the bell gives the worn out looking Peter a breather.
Klitschko 10-9
The two fighters come out for one last round and Klitschko continues the right hand parade before Peter drives home a monster left hook that backs the Ukrainian off. Peter charges Wlad and hits him with a right but can’t land anything else. Peter continues to chase Klitschko but runs into a long right that slows him down. Klitschko uses the occasion to belt Peter with the umpteenth right cross of the night but this shot is a full blooded masterpiece that causes Peter to visibly wobble. The amazingly durable African is finally hurt after taking the best shots of one of the heavyweight division’s hardest punchers. Klitschko is clearly exhausted and holds back, carefully choosing his moments. Peter’s legs don’t look very stable but he starts to throw punches again. Klitschko counters and strikes with another long, sizzling right and Peter again is clearly shaken. Klitschko goes to finish him off and crunches home another right but Peter won’t go down, instead winging a futile left handed bomb. Klitschko spends the last five seconds of the round dancing away from danger.
Klitschko 10-8
The official scorecards are read and Wladimir Klitschko is declared the winner by unanimous decision.
All three ringside judges score the bout 114-111.
SaddoBoxing scored the bout 114-111 in favor of Klitschko
Contact Curtis McCormick at thomaspointrd@aol.com
