KLITSCHKO LOOKS LIKE OLD SELF SCORES 8TH ROUND TKO OVER PETER; MOVE OVER TARVER DAWSON NEW RULER OF THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
SHOWTIME replays Peter-Klitschko and Tarver-Dawson on Wednesday, Oct. 15 on SHOWTIME 2 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Oct. 12, 2008) – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING presented a special, history-making world championship double-header on Saturday night.
Many wondered how Vitali Klitschko (36-2, 35 KOs) would look in his first fight in nearly four years. Wonder no more. The 37-year-old heavyweight regained his World Boxing Council (WBC) title with a marvelous eighth-round TKO over Samuel Peter (30-2, 23 KOs), televised on tape delay from the O2 World Arena in Berlin, Germany.
It wasn’t much of a contest as Klitschko fought tall and used his precise left jab to keep Peter from closing the distance. His consistent jab, along with stiff over hand rights proved too much for Peter. Behind on all cards, Peter quit on his stool after the eighth.
Klitschko’s victory marked the first time the boxing world has seen two brothers hold heavyweight titles simultaneously. Klitschko’s younger brother, Wladimir, is the IBF and WBO heavyweight world champion.
In the second world championship fight on SHOWTIME, it was out with the old and in with the new as “Bad” Chad Dawson (27-0, 17 KOs) won a 12-round unanimous decision against the veteran Antonio Tarver (27-5, 19 KOs), live at The Pearl Theater at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Dawson, the former WBC champion who relinquished the belt for this high profile fight, captured the IBF and IBO light heavyweight titles by scores of 118-109, 117-110 twice.
The difference maker was Dawson’s blazing hand speed. He landed precise right upper cuts and vicious right hooks.
Dawson threw creative combinations, at times throwing five, six and seven-punch combinations to the head and body of Tarver.
“It’s a happy moment for me,” Dawson said after the fight. “I’m taking these titles back to my home in New Haven (Conn.). I was the faster fighter tonight. I was outpointing him and outworking him. We did it one round at a time like we always do.”
During the telecast, SHOWTIME reporter Karen Bryant interviewed former pound-for-pound great Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Mayweather called Dawson the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, claiming the 26-year-old Connecticut native doesn’t get enough credit for his superior skills.
“Floyd gave me a call tonight in the locker room before the fight,” Dawson said. “He told me I’m the best fighter in the world. That was a huge compliment and confidence booster. When Floyd says something like that you can’t help but smile and go out and perform.”
Tarver could not keep up with the younger and quicker Dawson.
“I fought my fight and Chad fought his,” Tarver said after the fight. “I was never hurt. I should have had a busier work rate, but Chad was the busier fighter. I think I did well. I didn’t land the left as much as I should have.
“I tip my hat to Chad. He came in with a good work rate. I felt good about my ability to win this fight, but it was Chad’s night tonight.”
