SPORTS: Victory makes Volodymyr Klitschko a contender for IBF title (10/02/05)

SPORTS: Victory makes Volodymyr Klitschko a contender for IBF title

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Ukrainian boxer Volodymyr Klitschko overcame three knockdowns to defeat Nigerian Samuel Peter by unanimous decision on September 24. The win makes Klitschko the mandatory challenger for the International Boxing Federation belt.

With the win, Klitschko, 29, moved a step closer to realizing his dream of sharing the heavyweight championship with his brother, World Boxing Council champion Vitalii Klitschko.

"Now, I have to get another title shot. We'll see who's available," Klitschko told the Associated Press.

He could face World Boxing Organization champion Lamon Brewster or the IBF champion, Chris Byrd, whom he beat five years ago. After the fight, Klitschko said he'd like to face Brewster.

"I'll take the next shot that comes available, Chris Byrd or Lamon Brewster," Klitschko said. "Hopefully, in May or April, I'll be able to fight for a championship."

Klitschko previously lost two crucial bouts that seriously jeopardized his career. The losses came at the hands of Brewster and Corrie Sanders, and much of the boxing community later criticized the Ukrainian for lacking toughness.

But in his win over the 6-foot, 243-pound Peter, Klitschko used a combination of left-right punches to overcome the knockdowns and take control of the fight in the later rounds.

Boxing analysts and experts said after the fight that Klitschko showed heart, stamina and resiliency. All three judges scored the fight 114-111 for the Ukrainian boxer. Peter had been unbeaten in his previous 24 fights - 21 of which he won by knockout.

Peter, 25, came into the fight favored to win, but the 6-foot, 6-inch Klitschko used his left jab to keep Peter from getting close enough to land any solid shots. Peter, who showed little finesse, resorted to hitting him in the back of the head and the temple during clinches and breaks.

"His style was pretty wild, and I will say unorthodox," Klitschko said. "He's very powerful, strong man. But I think he has less idea about technique."

Klitschko first went down in the fifth round after Peter landed a right hand to the top of the head. The Ukrainian boxer would fall again in that round, though it came from a push and not a punch.

"That's the way Peter fights," Emanuel Steward, Klitschko's trainer, told the Associated Press.

"He gets in close and he hits you in the back of the head and the shoulders," Steward said. "That's his style. You're relaxed when you're in close because you figure you can't get hurt. And that's when he hits you with those punches, when you're vulnerable."

Klitschko (45-3) would fall again, this time in the 10th round, after Peter connected on an overhand right that clearly stunned Klitschko. Peter chased him into the corner and unloaded about a dozen more punches.

After getting out of the corner, Klitschko got caught again with a right to the face and went down for the third time. However, Klitschko got up again and went after Peter.

"It wasn't easy fight for me," Klitschko said. "I was going 12 rounds. In my 48 fights, I was going only once 12 rounds. There were some doubts about my stamina and so on. Now, you can see those problems I don't have. If I want, I can go 12 rounds no matter what."

Peter said after the fight he wasn't satisfied with his performance and made it clear he would seek a rematch. "I didn't catch him with the blows I wanted to land," Peter told the AP.

Steward, Klitschko's trainer, said a rematch with Peter is unlikely at the moment.

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