 |
|
Samuel Peter
|
Samuel ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Peter banged out his twenty-third straight victory on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights when he stopped twenty-year fight veteran Gilbert Martinez, 18-8-3 (7), in just three rounds, giving the big man twenty knockouts in his four years as a professional. The highly touted heavyweight contender Peter, 23-0 (20), steamrolled his outclassed opposition landing mostly power shots for the short bout. The two traded with Martinez throwing wild wide shots leaving himself open for Peter’s power who started Gilbert’s decline in the third round with a powerful uppercut crumpling Martinez with a short stunning right hand.
After Martinez made the count Peter smelled blood and went in for the kill administering his power, throwing a barrage of blows that prompted referee Richard Steele to jump in and call a halt to the bout at 2:05 in the third round. In all Peter landed twenty-two power shots and barley utilized the jab throughout the brawl because didn’t need it. An easy W for the twenty-four year old rising star, although his victory was over a journeyman he was a tough one and it helps Peter move up another rung of the heavyweight ladder in hoping to get a title shot in the near future.
The hard hitter stepped in the pro ranks in 2001 winning his debut in just one round, his rookie year produced seven straight knock out victories with six ending in the opening round. Peter’s highlighted victories are over the likes of Jovo Pudar (10 R. UD), one of 2004’s most vicious knock outs came over Jeremy Williams in two rounds and in January Peter stopped Yanqui Diaz in five rounds flooring the Cuban boxer five times during the fight. All though Peter is a plodding heavyweight with limited skill due to experience he is improving, and his power seems to be his breadwinner and at this time that asset would threaten any top heavyweight in the division. After the well-deserved victory Sam was asked who he wanted, of course the Klitschko name protruded as it does with any heavyweight wanting to find greatness. Peter simply stated, “I will send Klitschko packing.” Is the 6’2” developing young heavyweight ready for the powerhouse Ukrainian champ? We will just have to wait and see about that one.
Also on the ESPN card for the night Texas welterweight Oscar Diaz, 20-1 (11), cruised to a unanimous decision victory over Puerto Rican fighter Jessie Feliciano, 12-4-2 (7), in a ten round clash that had the fans booing at the decision. The twenty-two year old Feliciano hasn’t tasted victory in nearly two years when he stopped Raul Franco in seven rounds the fall of ’03, and this loss gives him three L’s in a row. After losing to Ebo Elder a year ago Diaz picked up and has banged out his third victory since his first and only loss of his four years as a pro. Diaz is picking up momentum as he looks to continue his slow march to the top.
Heavyweight newcomer Josh Cobb, 1-1 (1), the son of actor/boxer Tex Cobb, was served up a big helping of defeat at the hands of Javier Diaz, 1-1 (1), in a scheduled four round bout that ended in three. The 6’5” 250 lb. Texan decided to step in the ring not even a month ago, and it showed. No skill, no will, no win for the nineteen year old when he literally quit at 1:42 in the third round after looking like anything but a boxer. The fight consisted of the two throwing haymakers hoping to land that solid shot to end the night, but it never happened. Both exhausted early, and neither establishing any kind of technique during the bout, but when it was all said and done the supposedly non-threatening Diaz was lethal to Cobb who was making his TV debut.
|
|
|
|
© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
|
By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (April 30, 2005)
