Wladimir Klitschko, Samuel Peter Predicting Knockouts

If he fights to his potential during the scheduled Sept. 11 rematch with Nigerian-born, former world champion, Samuel Peter, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko, should score his 13th straight victory and his 10th knockout during that run since losing to Lamon Brewster by fifth round knockout in April of 2004.

"I see a knockout in five or six rounds, and that's stretching it," said Manny Steward, the trainer of the 34-year-old Klitschko (54-3, 48 knockouts), during a conference call on Wednesday.

Nearly five years ago on Sept. 24, Klitschko won a unanimous decision over the 29-year-old Peter (34-3, 27 KOs), but not before being floored three times against Peter in Atlantic City. Klitschko won by scores of 114-111 on all three judges' cards.

Steward considers Peter to be dangerous and youthful for a heavyweight, even though the Las Vegas resident already has fought for the title three times and held the crown once.

The "Nigerian Nightmare's" resume includes victories by split decision and unanimous decision over former world titlist, James Toney, as well as a March 2008 sixth-round knockout of Russian Oleg Maskaev that earned him the WBC belt.

But in his next bout after beating Maskaev, Peter was dethroned as WBC champion via eighth-round technical knockout loss to Wladimir's 39-year-old brother, Vitali Klitschko (40-2, 38 KOs), in Oct. 2008.

"Sam Peter's never been completely knocked out. He just quit on himself. I don't think that he's ever been really knocked out. But Wladimir has the power to knock out anyone with either hand. So in this fight with Peter, the way that the emotions are building, he will unleash his missles earlier than normal," said Steward of Klitschko, who is coming off of March's 12-round knockout of Philadelphia's Eddie Chambers.

"And when Wladimir does that, people get knocked out. That's why I was pushing him with Eddie Chambers. I think that he will unleash his missiles against Samuel Peter," said Steward. "Based on Wladimir's state of mind and the way that he's training for this fight, he will punch harder sooner. It will be the first time that Peter gets completely knocked out. I think that he'll knock him out. And I think that it will be because of the left hook more so than the right hand."





Wladimir Klitschko agreed, adding, "I think that I have a good strategy."

"I don't want to dream about this fight, otherwise, it's a 'Nigerian Nightmare.' But I will let my fists talk in the ring instead of talking dreams," said Klitschko. "No dreams, but I'll just say don't miss it. Don't go to the refridgerator to get a beer, because I do see myself knocking Samuel Peter out -- earlier, later, with a left hook or a right hand or whatever. I treat every fight as if it is my last fight."

But it was Peter, promoted by Top Rank Promotions, who was predicting knockout during a conference call last week, this, after saying that the low point of his career was losing a 10-round majority decision to Chambers in March of 2009.

But since losing to Chambers, Peter has won all four of his bouts by knockout, including his last fight -- a second-round stoppage of Nagy Aguilera in March. Aguilera was coming off of a first-round knockout of Maskaev.

"I have a lot to prove. I have a chance to redeem myself from the 2005 fight. It is going to be a great fight. I am getting another chance to prove that I am the best heavyweight champion in all. The loss was a bad mistake. This time I am going to prove that I can become a champion again," said Peter, who will turn 30 on Sept. 6.

"For sure, on September 11 in Germany it is going to be a great fight. I don't have much to say because I know that my gloves will speak for me in the ring. My judges, I have in my right hand and the judge is my left hook. There will not be a decision this time around," said Peter.

"This time, he will not get up from my left hook. I am ready and I am prepared and I will not need a referee or a judge," said Peter. "I will be bringing my own judge and referee to Germany on September 11. This time around, anyone I touch will not be standing up. So I don't think Wladimir will be able to stand up to me after four rounds."