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| Date | September 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBC heavyweight title eliminator NABF and IBA heavyweight titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter wins via split decision (116–111, 116–111, 112–115) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Toney vs. Samuel Peter , billed as No Risk, No Reward, was a professional boxing match contested on September 2, 2006, for the NABF and IBA heavyweight titles. [1]
In early July 2006, it was announced that the WBC's number-two and number-three ranked contenders James Toney and Samuel Peter would meet in a WBC heavyweight title eliminator bout two months later, with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger to the winner of the Hasim Rahman–Oleg Maskaev WBC heavyweight title fight scheduled three weeks prior. [2]
Both fighters were looking to rebound and get another change at a heavyweight title after suffering recent disappointing results. Toney's had challenged Rahman for the WBC heavyweight title in his previous fight, but had failed to capture the title after the fight was ruled a majority draw. Despite the inconclusive outcome, Rahman's promoter Bob Arum ruled out an immediate rematch as Rahman was already scheduled to face Maskaev, his mandatory challenger and the WBC's number-one ranked contender. [3] Peter, meanwhile, had met Wladimir Klitschko, one of boxings premier heavyweights, the previous year in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator. Though he scored three knockdowns over Klitschko, he lost a close unanimous decision. [4]
The chief support saw IBF featherweight champion Eric Aiken face No. 10 ranked contender Robert Guerrero [5] in the first defence of the title he won in May against Valdemir Pereira. [6] He had taken that fight on nine days’ notice as a last-minute replacement for Esham Pickering. [7] A rematch with Pereira was scheduled but never materialized.
Guerrero would dominate the bout using inside fighting to neutralizing Aiken's power. Aiken's corner pulled him out after the eight round, giving Guerrero the victory.
At the time of the stoppage Guerrero led on all three scorecards 79–72, 80–71 and 80–71.
Aiken later admitted that he had broken his right hand. His cornerman Jerry Page said afterwards "His hand was hurting and it didn't look like he was going to turn it around. He was taking a beating out there, so we stopped it."
In what was a very close fight, Peter was named the winner by way of split decision, with two judges scoring the fight 116–111 in his favor, while the other had Toney winning the bout with a score of 115–112. Toney had a clear advantage in punches, landing 239 of 560 punches for a 44% success rate, while Peter, though the busier fighter, threw 801 punches but landed only 175 for a 22% success rate. However, Peter nevertheless landed clean powerful shots, especially during the early portion of the fight and overcame a bloodied nose and a point deduction in the ninth for hitting Toney in the ears during a clinch to take the victory. The loss was Toney's first since being upset by Drake Thadzi in May 1997, he had had a 17–fight undefeated streak since. [8]
Confirmed bouts: [9]
| Weight Class | Weight | vs. | Method | Round | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | 200+ lbs. | Samuel Peter | def. | James Toney | SD | 12/12 | note 1 |
| Featherweight | 126 lbs. | Robert Guerrero | def. | Eric Aiken (c) | RTD | 8/12 | note 2 |
| Heavyweight | 200+ lbs. | Travis Walker | def. | John Clark | TKO | 2/8 | |
| Lightweight | 135 lbs. | Jessica Rakoczy | vs. | Belinda Laracuente | NC | 3/6x2 | |
| Cruiserweight | 190 lbs. | Mike Marrone | def. | Ralph West | TKO | 3/6 | |
| Super Middleweight | 168 lbs. | Anthony Dirrell | def. | Billy Thompson | UD | 6/6 |
^Note 1 For NABF and IBA heavyweight titles
^Note 2 For IBF Featherweight title
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 United States | Showtime |
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