Former WBC heavyweight champion of the World, Samuel Peter, a.k.a. The Nigerian Nightmare has a date with history tonight in Germany as he takes on Wladimir Klitschko for the International Boxing Federation/World Boxing Organization heavyweight titles.

Peter is coming off wins over the likes of Nagy Aguilera, Gabe Brown, Ronald Bellamy and Marcus McGee, guys that posed very little problems to the ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’.

Wladmir, one of the formidable Klitschko brothers has been a constant figure and, most of his challengers have ended up running quickly in the opposite direction.

Alexander Povetkin who is the IBF’s mandatory challenger, fled after failing to show up for a pre-fight news conference with Klitschko. His trainer, Teddy Atlas, gave a belated excuse, saying that he didn’t feel Povetkin was ready.

Although Peter has not been particularly convincing in his recent fights, his dire hard supporters believe that the Akwa Ibom-born pugilist would rise to the occasion.

He is not new to Klitschko. Five years ago, Klitschko achieved a unanimous points decision over the Nigerian in Atlantic City, N.J. He knocked Klitschko down three times in that fight but lost every one of the nine rounds other than the three in which those knockdowns occurred.

Peter hasn’t set the world on fire since, and in 2008, he was stopped after eight one-sided rounds by Klitschko’s older brother, Vitali, in a bid for the World Boxing Council title. He followed that by losing a majority decision to Eddie Chambers, a light-punching heavyweight he was heavily favored to defeat.

Peter’s camp has been talking tough as his coch has predicted a sixth round knockout for his ward. “There is too much chatter about Klitschko getting a knockout victory,” said Peter’s coach Abel Sanchez.

“I think this is bullshit. It is going to be short fight and it is going to be Sam who’ll get it by the sixth round,” said Sanchez

Klitschko’s trainer told reporters that he was more nervous for this fight than he had been for any in the six years he’s worked with Klitschko.

“I’m a little more on edge than I’ve been in a long time,” the always affable Steward said.
The one-thing Peter can do is punch. He’s slow and he’s robotic and anybody with a modicum of boxing skills shouldn’t have a problem with him. Peter is a player with enormous home run power.

He’ll strike out in six out of 10 at-bats and pop up in three others, but when he makes solid contact, it goes a long, long, long way out of the park.

“I am expecting him to be at least as determined as five years ago,” Klitschko said. “He is probably technically better because now he is trying to box and do different things.

“I am expecting Sam to be a more experienced fighter and experience you cannot buy in a shop. Sam Peter is a puncher. The rest of the guys we fought, we never really had to worry about punching power,” said Klitschko.

The campion’s trainer is no less scared. of the havoc Peter could cause Klitschko in the ring.
“Peter is the most dangerous opponent Wladimir has fought in five years.

The rest of the guys we’ve fought, without degrading anyone, were all truly good fighters, but we never had to worry about punching power.”

Peter can punch, but just because someone can throw a baseball 97 miles per hour doesn’t make him a big league pitcher.