BY MARCUS HENRY
I must admit, I have been dogging the heavyweight division this entire decade. Outside of Lennox Lewis there were very few heavyweights worth watching. But recently, I've had a change a heart (but only a slight change).
With Wladimir Klitschko holding the IBF and WBO titles and Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter set to defend his WBC title against Oleg Maskaev on March 8 in Mexico, we could be on to something. There hasn't been a unification of all four of the major belts (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO) since Lewis did it in 1999. Don't get me wrong, the heavyweight division is still lacking the star power it once had. But the chance of one fighter holding all the belts at the same time is intriguing.
Peter is certainly hoping to be that fighter. And he, along with promoter Dino Duva, took several shots at Maskaev and Klitschko.
“I’ve been waiting for Oleg Maskaev to get into the ring with me for a year and a half,” Peter said in a statement from training camp. “Not only am I going to knock him out, but I will punish him for the long wait. On March 8, he is going to feel like he is getting two years worth of physical punishment. I’m going to bring excitement back to the heavyweight championship.”
Peter and Maskaev were set to fight last October 6 at Madison Square Garden, but Maskaev pulled out on September 21 because of a back injury. Peter was named interim WBC champ three days later. He made his first title defense on Oct. 6, winning a unanimous decision over Jameel “Big Time” McCline
Duva was not impressed with Klitschko's latest bout with Sultan Ibragimov.
“Sam has something serious to prove on March 8. It was troubling watching Wladimir Klitschko, who by the way was knocked down three times by Samuel when they met three years ago," Duva said. "Klitschko dogged it in all 12 rounds last weekend in a so-called ‘Unification Fight.’
The Peter-Maskaev clash will be the first world heavyweight championship ever held in Mexico will take place in Cancun’s Plaza de Torros.
Assuming Peter wins, there is no doubt he will want to take on Klitschko at some point. Klitschko has stated he wants to unify the belts. With any luck both of these guys are serious about it. And if one of them can unify the belts, who knows? Maybe Lewis, the last undisputed heavyweight champion, will come out of retirement. (Please Lennox? We need you). I know, wishful thinking. But at this point I'm desperate for a real heavyweight champion.