Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Columnist Jeff Haney: Tough test for Peter (and that’s no bull)

Jeff Haney covers boxing for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4041 or [email protected].

With a gaudy record of 23-0 including 20 knockouts, hard-hitting Samuel Peter of Las Vegas has been hailed as an up-and-coming star in the heavyweight division -- as a remedy, even, for boxing's ailing signature weight class.

His next opponent, Taurus Sykes of Brooklyn, N.Y., has managed only six knockouts in 25 professional fights.

Yet the imbalance of power the matchup presents does not faze Sykes in the least.

"A boxer can beat a slugger anytime," Sykes (23-1-1) said. "I am going to be jabbing him like the bag I'm jabbing in the gym. ... I will be moving, I'm going to be slick and I'm going to counter him. I am definitely faster than him, stronger than him and my arms are longer than his."

The two heavyweights will clash Saturday night in downtown Reno in the inaugural boxing event at the city's new 7,000-seat events center.

The card, presented by Duva Boxing, will be televised by Showtime (9 p.m., tape-delayed in the West).

This holiday weekend marks the 95th anniversary of heavyweight Jack Johnson's 15th-round stoppage of James J. Jeffries in Reno on July 4, 1910.

That world heavyweight title bout was scheduled for 45 rounds -- and it's no surprise Sykes, with his defense-oriented style, is predicting a long night Saturday as well (although this one's scheduled for only 12).

"It'll probably go six rounds or later, because he ain't gonna understand who he's in there with," Sykes, 30, said of Peter. "He's going to realize that he cannot hit me with those big bolo punches he is throwing ... and then I'm going to step right up to him and overwhelm him. ...

"After I get done with him, he will be exposed."

Peter, 24, a Nigeria native who has lived in Las Vegas for nearly five years, has relied on knockouts -- some spectacular -- in forging his reputation as the heavyweight division's great young hope.

"I want to commend Taurus Sykes on one thing: He's one of the few heavyweights in the world willing to get in the ring with Samuel Peter," Peter's promoter Dino Duva said. "(Other heavyweight contenders) hang up the phone right away. ...

"This is (Peter's) toughest test against the toughest opponent he has ever faced."

Peter, 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, is coming off a third-round stoppage of Gilbert Martinez in April at the Plaza hotel-casino.

On a recent conference call, Peter began by offering up some typical prefight pabulum -- "I like (Sykes). This fight is just business."

Sounding agitated by Sykes' continual goading, however, Peter was soon issuing specific threats.

"Before I knock you out, I'm going to punish you," Peter, a betting favorite of nearly 5-1, told Sykes. "I'm going to punish you and then I'm going to knock you out. ...

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I put that guy on the floor. I'm just going to punish him until I knock him out in the fourth round."

Three minor titles are at stake Saturday, but Peter and his promotional team are hoping a victory against Sykes leads to a major heavyweight championship shot, perhaps within the next year.

"I do not play games when I go to the ring," Peter said. "I am the next heavyweight champion of the world and there is no doubt about it."

Orleans card

A 10-round lightweight bout and a women's fight featuring unbeaten champion Melinda Cooper of Las Vegas highlight a Friday card at the Orleans presented by Guilty Boxing.

In the main event, Rustam Nugaev (13-4, 5 knockouts) of Los Angeles faces Martin Sanchez (13-8, 10 KOs) of Mexico City.

Cooper, the women's International Boxing Association flyweight champ, is 15-0 with nine knockouts.

Four Las Vegas fighters are scheduled to compete in separate bouts on the undercard: cruiserweight Joseph Gusman, middleweight Charden-Juvet Ansoula Mayola, super lightweight Blaine Jacobs and featherweight Vincent O'Neal.

Doors open at the Mardis Gras Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. and the first bell is scheduled for 7. Tickets are $25 and $35.

Gatti-Mayweather

The super lightweight world title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Arturo Gatti on Saturday in Atlantic City generated 340,000 pay-per-view buys and $15.3 million in pay-per-view revenue, HBO Sports reported Wednesday.

The fight was promoted by Main Events and Top Rank in association with Caesars Atlantic City and Bally's Atlantic City.

The fight, in which Mayweather scored a sixth-round technical knockout, will be replayed on HBO (Cox cable channel 200) tonight (10 p.m.) and Saturday (11 p.m.).

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