JUDGEMENT DAY POSTPONED

The much expected fight between Oleg Maskaev and Samuel Peter of Nigeria has been postponed. The fight was originally scheduled for February 2, 2008 at Madison Square Garden. The WBC heavyweight contest will now take place in Cancun Mexico on March 8th 2008.

This will be the first time such fight is taking place in that part of the world. The president of the WBC, Jose Sulaiman, said the choice of the venue is to spread the sport round the world. He however, acknowledged that Las Vegas Nevada is an important center for boxing.

Given this situation, the question that must be answered is who do the odds favour?
My response will follow this order;

Oleg Maskaev: The Russian just came out of injury. It’s obvious he requires some time to really put himself together, that time he now has. Having watched the Samuel Peter and Jameel McCline encounter, he came out to declare his readiness to fight. A move that, apparently proves that he may have noticed some weakness in Samuel Peter. But it also appears that, the call came a bit early and as such the February date may not favour Maskaev.

The last time I watched Maskaev, the Russian showed great calmness a posture that will scare any opponent. Another aspect that must be considered is the choice of the venue. Frantically, the venue seems neutral and does provide a level playing field for both boxers.

However, Maskaev stands a huge chance of retaining his title. He will be doing every thing possible to ensure the fight goes beyond the fifth round. He usually hit harder when opponent play along with his tactics; he is a master of late round surprise.

Samuel Peter: Before his fight against Jameel McCline, he was a clear favourite for the title. But it is clear that Samuel Peter has a questionable chin. However, the jabbing tactics of the Nigerian Nightmare is near perfect. It is the best, I have seen in recent times. Another major plus for Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter is his resolute determination to win. That passion to win was the driving force in his fight with the “Big Time” McCline.

Furthermore, another fact that must be put in focus is that Samuel Peter will be looking to score an early Knock out. He should strive to avoid been pushed into late rounds because that is where Maskaev becomes massive and reckless with punches.

Cognizance must be taken on the age difference. Maskaev is aging and his ring rusty but has got lots of experience. Peter on the other side of the coin, is inform, with great strength. The Nigerian punches harder, is younger and looked too dangerous for the ageing Maskaev. Unshaken determination, focus and relying on his skills are three key abilities that should floor Oleg Maskaev.

Having said that, recall also that peter has more time to stay in shape. He showed class against James “Light out” Toney, after six weeks of training. Now he has twelve weeks to prepare and it is my firm belief that he will be in tip top shape. The fight can actually go either way but on judgment day, the nightmare will scare the title out of Maskaev.