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| Date | 11 October 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | O2 World, Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title(s) on the line | WBC Heavyweight Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Klitschko defeated Peter via 8th Round RTD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Samuel Peter vs. Vitali Klitschko , billed as Dangerzone, was a professional boxing match contested on 11 October 2008, for the WBC heavyweight championship. [1]
After winning the WBC title against Oleg Maskaev, Samuel Peter entered into negotiations for a mandatory defence against former champion Vitali Klitschko, who was returning from an almost four year retirement. Klitschko had been set for a tune up bout with Jameel McCline in September 2007 before a back injury forced him to withdraw. In May 2008 an agreement was reached for the two to face off at O2 World Berlin in October. [2] Peter's only previous defeat came at the hands of Vitali's younger brother Wladimir in September 2005. [3] [4]
As his brother had also become a Heavyweight champion during his absence from the ring, Vitali was hoping to become part of the first pair of brothers to hold versions of the heavyweight title simultaneously. [5]
Speaking to the tabloid newspaper Bild in the build up to the bout, Klitschko said "I'm still the same Vitali. I'm ambitious, mentally strong and hard working. It's not really a comeback for me, more like a fight between two world champions after injury." [6] [7] [8]
Klitschko was the 1 to 4 on favourite to win.
Klitschko dominated the bout, utilising his left jab and landing powerful hooks to Peter's body and head. The much younger Peter kept a tight defensive stance and did manage to land a number of solid body shots on Klitschko however he wasn't able to consistently get inside Klitschko's massive reach. At the end of the eight round Peter informed his corner that he did not want to continue, making Klitschko a two time Heavyweight Champion (three time if the then lightly regarded WBO belt is included). At the time he trailed on all three scorecards with two scoring it a 80–72 shutout and the other had it 79–73 giving Peter one round. [9] [10] [11]
Vitali's victory meant that between himself and his brother, they held three of the four major title belts, with only the WBA title (held by Nikolai Valuev) left. [12] The WBC would order Vitali to make the first defence of his second reign as Heavyweight Champion against former WBC Cruiserweight champion Juan Carlos Gómez, who had won a "final eliminator" in September against Vladimir Virchis. [13]
Confirmed bouts: [14]
| Country | Broadcaster |
|---|---|
 Germany | RTL |
 Hungary | RTL Klub |
 Ireland &  United Kingdom | Setanta Sports [15] |
 United States | Showtime |
Cornelius Johannes Sanders was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 2008. He won the WBO heavyweight title in 2003 after knocking out Wladimir Klitschko in two rounds, which was considered one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing history; The Ring magazine named it the Upset of the Year. In 2004, having vacated the WBO title, Sanders faced Wladimir's brother Vitali Klitschko in an unsuccessful challenge for the vacant WBC and Ring heavyweight titles. He also held the WBU heavyweight title from 1997 until 2000 and the South Africa national heavyweight title in 1991.
Hasim Sharif Rahman is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2014. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the unified WBC, IBF, IBO and lineal titles in 2001; and the WBC title again from 2005 to 2006. He was ranked as a top 10 heavyweight by BoxRec from 2000 to 2007, and reached his highest ranking of world No.6 in 2000.
Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 1996 to 2017. He held the world heavyweight championship twice, including the unified WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and Ring magazine titles. A strategic and intelligent boxer, Klitschko is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time. He was known for his exceptional knockout power, using a strong jab, straight right hand and left hook, quick hand speed, great physical strength which he employed when clinching opponents, as well as athletic footwork and mobility, unusual for boxers of his size.
Vitalii Volodymyrovych Klychko, known as Vitali Klitschko, is a Ukrainian politician and former professional boxer. He serves as mayor of Kyiv, and is also head of the Kyiv City State Administration, having held both offices since June 2014. Klitschko is a former leader of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, and is a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament. He became actively involved in Ukrainian politics in 2005 and combined this with his professional boxing career until his retirement from the sport in 2013. He holds a Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.) from Kyiv University's Physical Science Department.
Samuel Okon Peter is a Nigerian professional boxer. He held the WBC heavyweight title in 2008, when he stopped Oleg Maskaev in six rounds. In his prime, he was known for his rivalry with the Klitschko brothers, having faced Wladimir twice and Vitali once. Peter was named among the 20 greatest athletes in the history of independent Nigeria by The Punch in 2023, while his capturing of the WBC heavyweight title was ranked the 26th most memorable moment in independent Nigeria's sports history by Premium Times in 2020. He was ranked by The Ring among ten best heavyweights at the conclusion of a year from 2005 to 2008, reaching his highest ranking of world No.2 in 2007. Peter is known for his punching power and holds a 78.9% knockout-to-win ratio.
David Deron Haye is a British former professional boxer who competed between 2002 and 2018. He held multiple world championships in two weight classes, and was the first British boxer to reach the final of the World Amateur Boxing Championships, where he won a silver medal in 2001.
Jameel McCline is an American former professional boxer. He challenged for the world heavyweight title on an unprecedented four occasions, losing all four attempts to Wladimir Klitschko, Chris Byrd, Nikolai Valuev and Samuel Peter. Despite never winning a world title, McCline did defeat former champions and top contenders in Michael Grant, Lance Whitaker, Al Cole, Cedric Boswell and Shannon Briggs. McCline retired in 2012 at the age of 42.
Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko, known as the Klitschko Brothers, are Ukrainian former professional boxers. During their peak years between 2004 and 2015, they were considered the dominant world heavyweight champions of their era, and among the most successful champions in boxing history. In 2011, they entered the Guinness World Records book as brothers with most world heavyweight title fight wins. In the years following the retirement of heavyweight titlist Lennox Lewis in 2004, the Klitschko brothers would eventually accumulate all four major world heavyweight titles. Known for their exceptionally large physiques, speed, and punching power, they each developed a style that utilized their athleticism and arm reach to break down opponents.
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Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye, billed as The Talk Ends Now, was a heavyweight unification fight between IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring champion Wladimir Klitschko, and WBA champion David Haye. The fight took place in Imtech Arena, Altona, Hamburg, Germany on July 2, 2011. Klitschko defeated Haye by unanimous decision.
David Haye vs Derek Chisora, billed as Licensed to Thrill, was a professional boxing match contested between former heavyweight champion, David Haye, and former world title challenger, Derek Chisora. The bout took place on 14 July 2012 at the Boleyn Ground, with Haye winning by technical knockout in the fifth round.
Vitali Klitschko vs Derek Chisora, billed as Showdown in Munich, was a professional boxing match that was contested between WBC heavyweight champion, Vitali Klitschko, and the WBC's number 15 ranked contender, Derek Chisora. The bout took place on 18 February 2012 at the Olympiahalle, with Klitschko winning by unanimous decision.
Nikolai Valuev vs. David Haye, billed as David vs Goliath, was a professional boxing match contested on 7 November 2009 for the WBA heavyweight championship.
Vitali Klitschko vs. Corrie Sanders, billed as Let the Next Era Begin, was a professional boxing match contested on 24 April 2004 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.
Hasim Rahman vs. James Toney, billed as The Big Boys are Back, was a professional boxing match contested on 18 March 2006 for the WBC heavyweight championship.
Hasim Rahman vs. Oleg Maskaev II, billed as America's Last Line of Defense, was a professional boxing match contested on 12 August 2006, for the WBC heavyweight championship.
Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder was a professional boxing match, billed as Return to Glory, was a professional boxing match contested on 17 January 2015 for the WBC heavyweight championship.
Oleg Maskaev vs. Samuel Peter, billed as Championship Heat, was a professional boxing match contested on 8 March 2008, for the WBC heavyweight championship.
David Haye vs. Audley Harrison, billed as Best of Enemies, was a professional boxing match contested on 13 November 2010, for the WBA Heavyweight championship.
Wladimir Klitschko vs. Samuel Peter II was a professional boxing match contested on 11 September 2010, for the IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight championship.
