It has taken a long time for Vitali Klitschko to find his way back into a boxing ring. Between injuries, retirement, political aspirations, and then more injuries, it has been almost four years since Vitali was in active competition. This fight with Samuel Peter has seemed to take just as long to put together. This fight had to be rescheduled after Vitali injured himself during training. It was put together in another example as to why the business of boxing can be so confusing. The WBC allowed Vitali the luxury of returning from retirement whenever he wanted and get a title shot. Vitali decided to return when Sam Peter was due his title shot against Oleg Maskaev. Litigation ensued and Peter got his fight with Maskaev, winning the WBC heavyweight title and setting up a fight with Vitali Klitschko. Peter wanted to fight Wladimir Klitschko to avenge his only loss and unify the titles but that wasn’t going to happen. Vitali had a contract of his own and thus the fight was on.
Sam Peter vs. Vitali Klitschko (WBC Heavyweight Title)
Vitali comes into this fight at 37 years of age but looks to be in better shape than the 28 year-old Peter. Peter has always been thick and stocky, however. Vitali uses his reach early to control Peter. Sam Peter is having trouble getting close to Vitali. He’s trying to land a difference-maker and it’s only the first round. Peter is basically lowering his head and throwing wild hooks. Vitali is landing shots with ease to Peter’s face.
Al Bernstein makes a good point in saying that Peter is showing none of the fire in the ring that he was showing in the months of hype leading up to this fight. Peter is not being aggressive. Peter is not showing any signs that he is in a fight. Vitali has been picking him apart for four rounds now. Vitali is not even having to extend himself that much. Another lame thing about the WBC: open scoring. Open scoring is being used in this fight and the scores are announced after every four rounds. Through four rounds, Vitali leads 40-36 on all three cards as expected. It’s not as if there was any drama in this fight for open scoring to take away anyhow.
The seventh round begins and Peter’s corner is telling him to step up his intensity but Peter is not responding. Vitali continues to jab Peter’s face into mush. Vitali is fighting with his hands down below his waist. Klitschko is taller, longer, quicker, and seems to have a desire to win whereas Peter is not giving any indication that he wants to keep his title. More of the same in the eighth round. Peter looks awful. As open scoring is being announced after the 8th round, Sam Peter tells his corner that he wants to stop the fight.
It’s hard to say that Vitali Klitschko is back because Peter put up such an unspirited performance but Vitali certainly didn’t look bad. Being a title fight I would hope to see Vitali somewhat challenged but that wasn’t happening tonight. Vitali made history by coming back from a four-year layoff to win a title fight in his first fight back. Vitali will not fight his brother Wladimir
