MID-September '06 In This Corner Column

Samuel Peter wins WBC Elimination and James Toney Demands a Rematch

ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 2nd Goosen Tutor Promotions, Don King Productions and Duva Boxing presented a WBC elimination bout which was titled "No Risk, No Reward" at The Staples Center in Los Angeles. Two heavyweights, James Toney (70-5-3, 1ND, 43 KOs) of Las Vegas fought for 12 rounds. Samuel Peter won by split decision. The judges score cards had it 116-111 for Peter, 115-112 for Toney and 116-112 for Peter. Dan Goosen and Don King, however, saw it differently including the boxing fans and many of the media.

"Toney is a slick fighter. He tucks his head between his shoulders and rolls with the punches. He made Peter miss a lot of punches. But if you don't know his style, you'd think the other guy was connecting his punches," stated Dan Goosen.

The crowds of nearly 10,000 were enthusiastic chanting Toney's name while Toney bobbed and weaved slipping in left jabs and out-boxing Peter for the first two rounds. In the third round, however, Peter kept executing his overhand rights while Toney was on the ropes and dazed. Toney, on the other hand, came back and scored with a left and right. In the fourth round both fighters were at even odds and in the fifth Toney came back with his quick left and a right while Peter worked on his midsection.

Samuel Peter is definitely a hard puncher but he couldn't handle James Toney's quick left jabs. He did continue to throw overhand rights connecting to the back of Toney's head. At this point both fighters took their share of punishment, although it looked as though Samuel Peter was connecting his punches, most of them missed Toney. During the 6th and 7th rounds there was more caution among both fighters.

In the eight round Samuel Peter connected a hard overhand right but failed again to take James Toney out. Toney just shook it off and continued to fight. Then in the 9th round Peter got frustrated while Toney had him up against the ropes, so he struck Toney with both gloves causing the referee to take one point from him. A tired James Toney then gets hit with a straight right by Peter that would have put away any fighter. Toney just shook it off regaining his composure. In rounds 11 and 12 Toney came back to score left and rights to Peter. That's the way it was for the big boys of boxing. According to Samuel Peter the new champion winning the twelve round World Heavyweight Championship elimination bout and the IBF Heavyweight championship would grant James Toney a rematch after he wins his fight with Oleg Maskaev.