Will It Be "Lights Out" For "The Nigerian Nightmare"
On Saturday night, Showtime will be featuring James "Lights Out" Toney in a heavyweight bout against Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter, in what is certain to be a fight worth watching. Toney is a trash-talking slickster who is the most fundamentally sound heavyweight of recent years, and this match-up with the heavy-handed, un-polished, and meagerly skilled Peter will provide a clash in styles that I'm hoping will prove to be exciting. Peter fights dirty, and he is thought to posess the greatest one-punch knock-out power in today's heavyweight division. Wladmir Klitschko showed that Peter's lack of skill leaves him vulnerable to being picked apart, but Peter, in addition to his great power, also demonstrated a strong chin. Toney lacks Klitschko's reach and power, but he will also withstand Peter's power punches better than did Wlad.
What will make this fight so exciting is that Toney will be fighting Peter from within Peter's range, making use of his chin and ability to slip punches, hoping to frustrate the powerful Nigerian while "breaking him down" with a series of body shots and well-placed counter-punches to the head. Neither fighter has a reach advantage, and neither has made a habit of backing up.
It is odd that Samuel Peter comes across as such a humble, decent guy, yet fights as dirty as any heavyweight in recent memory. He hits to the back of the head, punches on breaks, and hits already downed foes in a matter reminescent of Mike Tyson at his worst. Toney, who is noted for "trash-talking", verbal abusing interviewers, and acting a thug, is very much a clean fighter, using his skills to devastating effect, but generally not taking cheap shots. I will be rooting for Toney, for, all personality issues aside, I have chosen to support the skilled fighter over the unskilled, brawling behemoth.
Peter has never beaten a top fighter, though he has mowed through tomato-cans and fringe contenders with a vengeance. Unless something very unusual happens, Toney will not leave himself open to Peter's haymakers, and the big man will find himself in a fight unlike any other in his career.
If Toney shows up in as poor a physical condition as he did for his draw with Hasim Rahman, he may well end up battered and beaten, particularly if the usually unfit Peter shows up in atypically good shape. If Peter shows up fat, and Toney comes in fit, I expect that Toney will pick Peter apart, perhaps scoring a late-round TKO.
What will make this fight so exciting is that Toney will be fighting Peter from within Peter's range, making use of his chin and ability to slip punches, hoping to frustrate the powerful Nigerian while "breaking him down" with a series of body shots and well-placed counter-punches to the head. Neither fighter has a reach advantage, and neither has made a habit of backing up.
It is odd that Samuel Peter comes across as such a humble, decent guy, yet fights as dirty as any heavyweight in recent memory. He hits to the back of the head, punches on breaks, and hits already downed foes in a matter reminescent of Mike Tyson at his worst. Toney, who is noted for "trash-talking", verbal abusing interviewers, and acting a thug, is very much a clean fighter, using his skills to devastating effect, but generally not taking cheap shots. I will be rooting for Toney, for, all personality issues aside, I have chosen to support the skilled fighter over the unskilled, brawling behemoth.
Peter has never beaten a top fighter, though he has mowed through tomato-cans and fringe contenders with a vengeance. Unless something very unusual happens, Toney will not leave himself open to Peter's haymakers, and the big man will find himself in a fight unlike any other in his career.
If Toney shows up in as poor a physical condition as he did for his draw with Hasim Rahman, he may well end up battered and beaten, particularly if the usually unfit Peter shows up in atypically good shape. If Peter shows up fat, and Toney comes in fit, I expect that Toney will pick Peter apart, perhaps scoring a late-round TKO.
posted by Paul at 12:33 PM
3 Comments:
James Toney was ROBBED. ROBBED, I tell you !!!
Whats happend to peters now that Vitali broke him down....He still fighting?
He fought a coupla days ago, beating an undistinguished Ronald Bellamy by TKO. I don't think Peter has the will to get himself into top fighting shape. He'll likely get another big fight in a year or two, despite himself.
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