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Finally The Question Will Be Answered
THU September 22, BUSTER PARIS - Saturday night - September 24th is the end of the debate regarding Wladimir Klitchko. Finally.
No way is Wladimir Klitschko going to win this fight against “The Nigerian Nightmare” Samuel Peter. It’s not going to happen.
The inescapable question that’s been hunting, haunting and overshadowing Klitschko is - can he take a punch?
I say no, not anymore – but…I’m stuck on one thing that gives me pause. That makes me think maybe Wlad has a chance. It’s a gigantic maybe, but it’s there.
A few months ago Klitschko’s trainer and sometimes HBO fight commentator Emanuel Steward was asked if Wladimir Klitschko is ready for the elites of the Heavyweight division. Emanuel responded by stating that Wladimir has pretty much always been ready for the elites. It just so happened that he had two bad fights (Corrie Sanders - March 2003 and Lamon Brewster - April 2004) in such close proximity of each other, nothing more than that.
I’m stuck on that because it makes complete sense, Wlad’s a really talented fighter and since his loss to Brewster he has won his last two, but then again his opponents weren’t in that upper echelon of the division – so I’m left scratching my head.
And speaking of my noggin - that little voice that rambles around up there is laughing and saying no way. No way Klitchko has a chance against Samuel Peter. Wladimir no longer has the chin. He’s lost that ability to take a hard punch and Peter has one of the hardest punches out there right now.
Simply put Samuel Peter just knocks folks out - 21 of his 24 wins are by way of the big KO. Samuel isn’t a high caliber fighter yet and by that I mean his boxing skills aren’t nearly as polished as Klitschko’s or as refined and skilled as the other elite Heavyweights like Chris Byrd or James Toney.
I am looking forward to this issue finally being put to rest – the question finally getting answered - can Wladimir take a punch?
We’ll see that he can’t.
It’s been a great career for Wladimir Klitschko and after he loses Saturday I think he should seriously consider retiring before he gets hurt.
Buster Paris can be reached at: bparis@talkingboxing.com - and always enjoys receiving your thoughts, comments and questions.
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