Samuel Peter

Infobox_Boxer
name= Samuel Okon Peter
nationality= Nigerian
realname=Samuel Okon Peter
nickname=The Nigerian Nightmare
height=height|ft=6|in=1
weight=Heavyweight
birth_date=birth date and age|1980|9|6
birth_place=flagicon|Nigeria Akwa Ibom, Nigeria
death_date=
death_place=
home=Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
style=Orthodox
total=32
wins=30
KO=23
losses=2
draws=0
no contests=0

Samuel Okon Peter (born September 6, 1980 in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria), nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," is a heavyweight boxer and the former WBC heavyweight champion. He is considered by many to be one of the strongest punchers in the heavyweight division. Peter is the fourth boxer from the African continent to win a heavyweight title, after Gerrie Coetzee, Francois Botha, and Corrie Sanders.

Early years and amateur career

Originally, Peter's preferred sport was soccer. In 1992, some boxers came to Peter's school to train. The curious young 11-year-old stopped by and asked if he could train along with them. He was put up against an experienced amateur and knocked him out. This marked the beginning of a successful amateur career for Peter.

Samuel Peter won the Nigerian amateur heavyweight championship and the Africa Zone 3 Heavyweight championship while compiling an amateur record of 18 wins and only 2 losses. He faced stiff competition as an amateur (including a knockout victory over 2000 Silver Medalist Mukhtarkhan Dildabekov of Kazakhstan). However, he prevailed and was given the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the 2000 Sydney, Australia Summer Olympics.

Peter lost in the quarterfinals to Italian Paolo Vidoz by decision. However, his performance was noted for being very impressive from such a young pugilist and hence more excitement was generated for him than the eventual Gold Medalist, Audley Harrison, to whom Peter had lost a very close decision just a few months before the Olympics.

Professional career

Immediately after the Olympics, Ivaylo Gotzev signed on as Samuel Peter's manager, and Andy "Pops" Anderson became Peter's coach. They were then able to land a promotional deal with Dino Duva of Duva Boxing. As of March 2008, Peter's professional ring record stands at 30-2 (with 23 knockouts).

Though Peter posted a string of 1st-round knockouts at the beginning of his career, he fought to 2 consecutive decisions against Charles Shufford and Jovo Pudar in 2004. Some critics asked if Peter could exhibit the one-punch knockout power he had exhibited in his early days against stronger opposition.

Peter won a victory against Jeremy Williams on December 4, 2004 by knockout 27 seconds into the second round, to win the vacant NABF Heavyweight title. He then defeated Yanqui Diaz on January 22, 2005 to win the vacant USBA Heavyweight title.

Peter then went on to defeat NABA Heavyweight champion Taurus Sykes in Reno, NV on July 2 2005 trained by Andy "Pops" Anderson in a unification match.

On September 24, 2005 Peter faced Wladimir Klitschko in an elimination match in Atlantic City for the IBF and WBO world titles, in which Peter's NABF title was also on the line. Klitschko won a unanimous decision.

On December 15, 2005, Peter faced Robert Hawkins and won a 10 round decision.

Peter regained the NABF title (vacated by Klitschko after his victory) on April 28, 2006, by defeating Julius Long.

Peter vs. Toney I & II

Peter's next bout was a fight with Heavyweight contender James Toney on September 2, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California for the right to challenge WBC Heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev. Peter would win by split decision; however, the WBC would find adequate cause to order a rematch. (This move generated just as much controversy as the decision itself, as it is uncommon to require a second fight without significant evidence that a match has been mishandled.)

On January 6, 2007, Peter defeated Toney in the rematch by unanimous decision, erasing any doubts as to the validity of the first fight. The official judges scorecards read 119-108, 118-110, 118-110.

Peter vs. McCline

After defeating Toney, Peter earned the right to fight the WBC World Heavyweight champion. A match against Oleg Maskaev was scheduled for October 6, 2007. However, Maskaev pulled out of the fight due to a back injury. This led WBC to proclaim Peter interim Heayweight Champion of the World.

Jameel McCline was scheduled to fight Vitali Klitschko on September 22 for a title elimination. However, the fight was canceled because Klitschko had suffered a back injury in training. Under these conditions, a fight was arranged between Peter and McCline. Peter stepped into the ring as the champion trying to defend his title. Much controversy preceded the match since McCline had been accused of using illegal substances in 2005 and 2006, but the organizers decided to let the fight happen despite of this. Lab analysis would be available about 5 days after the fight.

On October 6, at 10 p.m, in Madison Square Garden, Peter was knocked down 3 times in the 2nd and 3rd round by McCline, who had a height advantage of almost 6 inches. Peter managed to get up and eventually won the remaining rounds to win the match with a unanimous decision and retain his title as the WBC Interim Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Heavyweight Champion

As interim champion, Peter was a mandatory challenger for the WBC belt held by Oleg Maskaev, who was inactive since December 2006 due to injury. This long-anticipated fight took place on March 8, 2008, at the principal bullfighting venue in Cancun, Mexico. Peter won by TKO, with the referee stopping the fight with only a few seconds remaining in the 6th round.

Some controversy arose over the legitimacy of the referee's stoppage, as the fight had hardly been lopsided to that point, and so little time remained before the bell. Peter was repeatedly warned throughout the fight for punching Maskaev in the back of the head. However, Maskaev was clearly staggered and had taken several unanswered heavy shots, and appeared unable to defend himself as he was knocked against the ropes. Some of the controversy was muted when Maskaev opened up that the referee did the right thing in stopping the fight.

Peter was ahead on all three judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

Future Fights

Following his victory over Maskaev, Peter publicly challenged IBF and WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko to a unification bout, which would be Klitschko's second such fight, as well as his second matchup with Peter (the first ending with a fairly close unanimous decision victory for Klitschko). Such a fight would unify three of the four major titles, the closest the division has been to an entirely unified title since Lennox Lewis relinquished the WBA title (one of the three he then held) by court order on April 29, 2000. Klitschko indicated he might fight Peter, but suggested that Peter should fight his brother Vitali first, who retired as WBC champion in November 2005, and is considered the WBC's champion emeritus, giving him the right to a mandatory challenge under the rules of that organization should he elect to fight again. Samuel Peter fought Vitali Klitschko on October 11th, 2008, in Berlin. Peter retired on his stool at the end of the 8th round, while behind on the scorecards 80-72 twice and 79-73.

Outside The Ring

Samuel Peter is a devout Christian man who neither drinks nor smokes. [Citation | last = Goffe | first = Leslie | title = People's champion | newspaper = BBC Sport:Boxing | year = 2005 | date = 23 September 2005 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/4274480.stm ] He lives in Las Vegas, NevadaPeter is good friends with former boxer Lennox Lewis. Lewis beat Vitali Klitschko in his last bout and has given Peter tips on how to beat him. The main tip was that Samuel should aim at opening a severe cut on Klitschko's eye, like Lewis did at their meeting, so that the bout is stopped and Samuel is declared the winnerfact.

Peter, who is managed by Ivalio Gotsev, is a stablemate to former WBO Heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich. Peter is now promoted by Duva Boxing and is trained by Andy "Pops" Anderson as well as former champion Cornelius Boza Edwards.

ee also

*List of world boxing champions
*List of WBC world champions
*Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics

References

External links

* [http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/peter.htm Samuel Peter Fight-by-Fight Career Record]
*
* [http://www.samuel-peter.com Official Website Of Samuel Peter]
* [http://www.politicalarticles.net/blog/2008/03/09/samuel-peter-the-nigerian-nightmare-who-wants-this/ Who Wants This: Sam Peter - The 'Nigerian Nightmare’]