ESPN's Graham Houston: Vitali over Peter in 10 rounds

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3629585

Excellent article and I can see this scenario. Not sure if it will take 10 rounds, but it might. Peter is not a quitter, and it could take Vitali -- if his body holds up -- some time to land enough blows to stop Sam.

 

Agreed, Rico. This isn't Wlad who makes himself smaller in the ring, wobbling and leaning forward here and there, allowing himself to be hit with rabbit punches. Vitali's natural reaction to taking incoming fire is to lean back, making it harder to hit him. If Vitali were shorter, this could be a bad strategy as it's not good technique to pull straight back with your chin in the air. But VK's so long he can get away with it, and especially so against someone of Peter's height and reach.

Sam is going to have a very difficult time here, or could. If he rushes in, he can get blasted with right hands that will become harder due to his own momentum. If he sits on the outside, Vitali can pick him off, as the article says.

Sam will likely have to rush in, although I can understand a strategy of seeing if Vitali will tire after the fight goes several rounds. In the end, I think Peter will press the fight like crazy, as Peter's trainer says he will, and that will make for a shorter night for Sam. Vitali likes when guys rush him, it fires him up and makes him even more mean than he usually is. Ask Lewis.

 

Giant mistake. It may be their only hope, though.

Here is another example of a guy rushing Vitali, and the resulting fire and focus it lit under VK. The opponent begins to come straight in soon after the bell for the second round rings (around 2:03 in the video). Vitali was off-balance in one exchange here (he grabs the ropes to keep from falling on the canvas), as the video shows. Troy Roberts was a scrub HW fighter who was 6'2", 235 or so with 73" reach. Taller than Peter, but with about 4" less reach. His bull rush of Vitali is probably similar to what Sam will do. Let's see how it worked out:
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Vitali by 2nd round TKO.

This was in 1997, and Roberts was Vitali's 5th professional boxing opponent. This bout took place around 4 months after VK's first pro boxing fight.

Vitali was off with his footing at that one juncture. So, that is something Peter fans can point to when asserting that the 'bull rush' strategy could be effective for Sam.

It is probably Sam's best chance. However, as this video and the Lewis fight shows, when you rush Vitali he gets more pissed off and it doesn't rattle him in the least, mentally. Even though he was being pressured here by Roberts, or in the Sanders and Lewis fights, Vitali remains composed and accurate with his shots. He likes to brawl, and can do so well.

 

Some may have missed the moment in the Maskaev fight when Oleg hurt Peter, the part that Graham Houston is referring to in his article.

At 1:08 into this video Maskaev lands a left hook to the right side of Peter's head, sending Sam stumbling and into retreat. I'm not sure what round it was.

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Agreed and good points, Ronnie.

Lewis also tried to 'jump on' Vitali, like he did Ruddock and Grant. And he got stung hard for his troubles by VK -- as Sanders and Roberts did -- especially in the 2nd round. Watch this video from around 1:50 to 3:45 or so:

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Sam Peter is likely to rush VK. And he probably has to. But if VK has much left, Peter could take a huge beating while he's coming in, as Roberts, Lewis and Sanders did previously.

 

Totally agree, BG.

Sure, VK has probably lost some ability and accuracy with age and layoff. But this is a guy with 210 amateur fights to go along with his nearly 40 professional ones. He's not going to forget how to fight, even after the time away from the ring.

VK doesn't have to be perfect against a guy that Wlad beat, McCline dropped 3 times and who Maskaev rocked. He knows how to fight guys like Peter and he appears physically and mentally ready to go.

I still think Peter's best hope is that VK gets injured in the ring. Maybe VK will 'get old' in the ring. But I agree with Graham Houston, this is looking like a VK win, and it will probably look something like the Roberts or Williams fights. However, the fight could last longer depending on how much VK has lost with age and the layoff, and how much punishment Sam can take.

 

elTerrible, great post. Totally agree.

 

Yep. And though that could be a little angst-producing for VK, it is also very possible to prove ruinous for Peter as looping right hooks careen off his head while he rushes in.