POST-FIGHT ANALYSIS

September 24, 2005 - by Anne Vitello

W. KLITSCHKO WINS DECISION

Wladimir Klitschko got his act together, and held it together in a fascinating and redemptive victory. With Emanuel Steward's tutelage working beautifully, Klitschko neutralized the dangerous Samuel Peter, keeping Peter at the end of his punches, tying him up in close quarters, and staying off the ropes. Most remarkably, Wladimir made up his mind that hitting the canvas need not mean defeat, pulling himself up twice in the fifth round and once in the tenth. The "Steel Hammer" prevailed, but both men proved themselves in a memorable heavyweight classic.

From the opening moments, Wladimir used his height, sticking his jab in Peter's face, and moving evasively. By the end of the night, Peter's right eye was swollen half shut. A frustrated Sam Peter didn't have too many tricks up his sleeve, and ran out of steam in the later rounds. Nevertheless, he remained very dangerous. Swinging for the fences whenever he was within range, Peter first pasted Klitschko with a wide left hook in the closing moments of Round Three. To his credit Wladimir ducked the follow-up punch. Sam Peter kept up the pressure in Round Four, as Klitschko's back brushed against the ropes several times. Wladimir did his job defensively, blocking or deflecting punches, and landed several single shots of his own.

In Round Five, it could have been all over, as Sam Peter had his biggest round of the night. While tangled up in close quarters, Peter landed a punch on the back of Klitschko's head (retaliation for Klitschko's holding strategy) and Wladimir went down. Moments later Peter moved in to close the deal, and Wladimir sunk to the canvas again. But Klitschko got up again too, and hung on. From Round Six on, Wladimir's strategy became more and more effective. He reestablished his jab and those long, straight one-two combos, effectively out-pointing the more sporadic Peter. His confidence growing, Klitschko kept slower but steady action going through Round Seven, and picked up momentum in Round Eight - one of his biggest. In the center of the ring, he landed two big rights, then deflected Peter's retaliatory bomb. Into the later rounds, Peter's fatigue showed along with his frustration. He walked in, often walking in to a Klitschko right. By Round Nine, Wladimir seemed victory-bound.

But in the tenth round, Sam Peter's big right found its big target, and Wladimir Klitschko was in big trouble. In what looked like a personal and career turning point, Dr. Klitschko made up his mind to go on. He stayed on the move into the final rounds, with Sam Peter stalking and looking tired but clearly dangerous right down to the wire. The final round saw a big left early in the round, which seemed to wobble Klitschko. But it was Wladimir with the last big punch of the night; like an exclamation mark, he landed a left hook that finally seemed to hurt Peter. So, Wladimir Klitschko is back in the game, Sam Peter's perfect record is marred, and George Foreman would happily consider another guest appearance for the rematch.

UNDERCARD: COTTO VS. TORRES
COTTO WINS BY TKO 7

Late replacement Ricardo Torres gave Light Welterweight Champ Miguel Cotto the fight of his life, before hitting canvas for the last time in Round Seven. In blistering action marked by multiple knockdowns, both fighters showed firepower and heart. Still reigning champion Cotto initiated his offense with his trademark left to the body; in an even and active first round, Torres went down, but was up almost instantly. The tables turned with Cotto going down in Round Two. This round saw the first of several times when Cotto seemed to be in real trouble, but managed to hang on. With less than a minute to go in Round Two, Cotto not only had survived, but also went looking for trouble again and managed to wobble Torres in a late exchange.

Cotto turned the tide in his direction again in Rounds Three and Four, as Torres seemed to be taking a breather. Cotto emerged as the more consistent boxer, working more steadily through each round, whereas Torres was more likely to fight in spurts. It was one of those spurts that staggered Cotto in Round Five, as he let his guard down while looking to pound away with that brutal liver shot. Again, Cotto survived and one round later, it was Torres down again, this time taking a knee after absorbing a straight right from Miguel. Torres looked to turn the tables once again in Round Seven, but instead was handed his first professional defeat. When Torres hit the deck once again, the ref saw fit to stop the action, regardless of the undefeated challenger's protests.