VENGEANCE NEXT ON PETER'S MIND

Vengeance next on Peter's mind
By Bolade Oladoye
March 17, 2010 12:51AM
Samuel Peter looks forward to a grudge match with Wladimir. Photo: NEXT

After making a short work of Nagy Aguilera within two rounds last Friday, 'The Nigeria Nightmare,' Samuel Peter, is ready to face Wladimir Klitschko with revenge on his mind.

Despite knocking down Wladimir three times in 2005, Peter still went ahead to lose to him, but with the Friday win taking Peter nearer to the peak of world boxing reckoning, he looks forward to a grudge match with Wladimir, the current IBF heavyweight title holder.

The Friday win extended Peters winning streak to four after the last March loss to Chambers. But what does this win mean? For one, Peter, who usually is heavy for his fight, surprised the crowd that watched the bout when he came out with a weight of slightly under 238 pounds, his lowest since 2001 – the year he made his debut in professional boxing. Perhaps, this new weight shows that the boxer, whom Obisia Nwankpa, his former coach when he was in the amateur rank, described as 'a pillar who is made for easy target' because of his weight, is now refocused.

This final eliminator win against Nagy does not make Peter the mandatory challenger to the world title against Wladimir Klitschko. There are others before him. First, Wladimir will defend his title next Saturday against Eddie Chambers, and then the winner will face mandatory challenger, Alexander Povetkin. Peter is next in line after that.

Peter's manager, Ivaylo Gotzev, is keen about a fight between Peter and Wladimir,'Wladimir, come on. We're here to finish what we started in 2005,' he said.

Peter, 29, claimed the heavyweight title temporarily with a sixth-round knockout of Oleg Maskaev in 2008 before losing it later in the year when Vitali Klitschko (Wladimir's older brother) made him quit after eight rounds. Peter's loss to Chambers followed.