Klitschko Brothers Share Heavyweight Titles
Vitali Klitschko, left, wins the WBC title. Wladimir, right, has two other titles.
(By Herbert Knosowski -- Associated Press)
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Vitali Klitschko reclaimed the WBC belt and fulfilled a self-proclaimed dream to hold a heavyweight title at the same time as his brother, stopping Samuel Peter in eight rounds yesterday in Berlin.
Officials called the fight after eight rounds that saw Peter weaving and occasionally wobbling as Klitschko landed a persistent stream of heavy jabs to Peter's head in front of more than 12,000 fans at the new O2 World Arena.
The 37-year-old Ukranian fighter (36-2, 34 knockouts) used his height -- he's 6 feet 7 -- and reach to keep Peter crouched and defensive.
Wladimir Klitschko, widely considered the most talented among the chaotic field of so-called heavyweight champions, holds the IBF and WBO heavyweight belts -- and dealt Peter his only previous loss, in September 2005 in a 12-round unanimous decision.
Peter, a 28-year-old Nigerian-born fighter, kept a tight defensive stance and managed to plant a series of solid body shots on his towering opponent. But after eight rounds he hadn't worked consistently inside Vitali Klitschko's massive reach.
Klitschko has been WBC "champion emeritus" since a knee injury forced him to withdraw from a fight and retire from boxing in 2005.
The honorary status gave him the right to fight Peter (30-2), who won the interim belt in a fight against Jameel McCline last September, whenever Klitschko chose to come out of retirement.
Klitschko is a three-time champion who won the WBC title in 2004 with an eight-round victory over Corrie Sanders. The Peter fight was Klitschko's first since he defended the crown with an eighth-round win over Danny Williams in Las Vegas in 2004. . . .
Chad Dawson finally has a victory over a notable opponent.
Dawson entered his IBF-IBO light heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas with questions that his unblemished record was the result of victories against inferior competition.
Thoroughly dominating three-time champion Antonio Tarver, Dawson silenced critics with an unanimous decision to capture both titles.
Dawson had the lone knockout when his powerful left jab sent Tarver to the canvas with 2 minutes 11 seconds left in the final round.
