By Tom Donelson (photo by Paul Gallegos)

 

After edging out James Toney by way of a close controversial decision in September, Nigerian Samuel Peter was thinking about his championship challenge to WBC holder, Oleg Maskaev. But, a funny thing happened on the way to fighting Maskaev, the WBC ordered Peter to face Toney in a rematch to appoint the mandatory challenger to Maskaev's WBC crown. 

Originally, Peter thought his last bout was a WBC eliminator in the byzantine world of boxing, he found out the hard way that his first bout with Toney bout was a mere eliminator to fight yet another eliminator.

The WBC based their decision on mandating a Toney-Peter rematch one the public outcry over the controversial nature of the first bout's decision.   

 

Now Peter readies himself to fight Toney again and if he wants to fight for a title, he has to beat Toney impressively or he may be fighting Toney a third time. There was no doubt that the first fight was close and there was a case to be made for the decision being scored for the wrong man. Boxing is full of close controversial decisions and Toney's draw with Rahman was just as controversial because the majority of ringside observers felt that Rahman won the fight, but no one made Rahman fight Toney a second time.

 

Peter fought better against Toney than he did against Wladimir Klitschko but he still showcased himself as "a work in progress" against the much more experienced Toney.  Peter finds himself in uet another big fight, and a win in this fight could what young puncher needs to push him over the top.

 

How can Peter win? What Peter needs to do is cut off the ring and force Toney to fight.  At 230 plus in pounds and over 38-years-old, Toney defensive skills have slipped. As Showtime's Al Bernstein observed during their first fight, Toney was getting hit with punches that years early would have eluded him.  Toney is a tough fighter who has was nevers stopped in his career, but he has shown vulnerabilities over his last couple of bouts. The accurate punching is still there, but Toney does not have enough punching power to scare Peter.  

 

Peter does not need to fear Toney's power but he still needs to be weary of Toney's accuracy.  Toney is still one of the most accurate counter punchers in the boxing game and his opportunity to win this match is based on his ability to outbox Peter.

Toney wants to take advantage of Peter's slow hands and wild wide punches. Peter advantages center around two things - youth and power. Peter is one of the more powerful punchers in the heavyweight division and while Toney showed that he could take Peter's best, Peter needs to press his advantage in power.  By cutting off the ring, Peter has to wear Toney out. Yes, Peter will be hit with accurate counter punches but power shots to the body in the early rounds will wear Toney out for the later rounds.  And Peter, just as Rahman showed in his bout with Toney, connected on many of his punches against the elusive Toney. 

 

When Peter fought Klitschko, he did not press the advantage and rarely went to the body. Go to the body early and the head becomes available later.  Toney fights in a relaxed manner and this relax style of fighting has allowed him to fight effectively even in his later years.  Toney is one of the more accomplish boxers in the business and this has been the key that brought his career back to the top. Peter must make life miserable for Toney in the first few rounds or else Toney will set the pace. As for Toney, survive the early rounds and use his superior boxing skills to frustrate Peter down the stretch. 

 

This is Peter's big shot at establishing himself as a star in a division that is starving for one. Boxing fans love a knockout artist and Peter is certainly that.  For Toney, a loss may finally end his long career, and crush his hopes of landing another heavyweight title shot.

This is a do-or-die battle for both. 

A defeat for Peter will not end his career, only put a pause on it. A victory on the other hand will propel him as the mandatory challenger to Maskaev's WBC title and if Peter can capture Maskaev's title, he will be in line for all of the big money fights in the Heavyweight division, which includes a rematch with IBF title holder Wladimir Klitschko.