Sep

25

Klitschko-Peter Audio Interview

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Listen to conference call

World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Sam Peter (30-1, 23 KOs) will defend against WBC Champion Emeritus Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) in the opening half of a world championship doubleheader Saturday, Oct. 11, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Immediately following the heavyweight world title fight, which begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT on tape delay, two light heavyweight champions will meet, live on SHOWTIME, when Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver and “Bad” Chad Dawson square off in a long-awaited grudge match.

If successful on Oct. 11, Klitschko will join his younger brother at the top of the heavyweight division, making them the only siblings in history to hold world heavyweight title belts simultaneously. Wladimir is the current International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) champ.

The Peter-Klitschko showdown will be co-promoted by Duva Boxing, K2 Promotions and Don King Productions. Tarver vs. Dawson is promoted by AT Entertainment and Gary Shaw Productions in association with Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas.

Opening comments

Duva: I’d just like to say this fight has been a long time coming through all the BS and behind‑the‑scenes stuff leading up to this fight, it’s finally here. It’s finally here. And anybody that had any doubts that this fight was going to happen should put them away because this fight’s going to happen on October 11th. I really believe it’s going to be a classic heavyweight title fight.

The styles of these fighters doesn’t ask for anything else. It’s going to be a great fight. For the fans, it’s going to be worth the wait. We’re excited to be doing it together with Duva Boxing K2 Promotions, Don King. I’m looking forward to it and the fans should be looking forward to it.

I want to have Ivaylo Gotzev (Peter’s Manager) and Sam say a few words.

Gotzev: We’ve been residing for the last three weeks in Freiburg, Germany in Schwarzwald, which is the Black Forest. I can tell you for the past eight years that I’ve spent with Samuel, for every one of his fights, this is by far his best preparation.

This is going to be the best Samuel Peter ever. I can’t wait. I’m so excited. This has been a tremendous camp for us, and I’m so proud of Samuel and Team Peter for doing their job and staying diligent to their work.

It’s going to be an amazing night. I just want to let everyone know that we’re in the Black Forest here, and Samuel has added a tremendous exercise to his routine, chopping on trees. For the past few days we’ve been running out of trees, so I hope Klitschko shows up and I hope he stands tall because that’s what’s going to happen to him, we’re going to chop up on him. That’s all I can say.

Question: What city are you in in Austria?

Gotzev: We’re in Germany, south Germany, the city is Freiburg. It’s the famous Black Forest, Schwarzwald. It’s a tremendous town. It’s a little town with a training sports university that’s been very, very helpful to us. We’re staying at a special hotel in the middle of the forest and we take on some special exercises.

McKinley: First of all, I’d like to say we’ve got a great training staff.

I’m looking forward to the fight myself because I know the style of the fight. This is going to be a great fight. Like they say in boxing, history repeats itself. I’ve seen this thing play out before with Holmes. When Mohammed Ali came out of retirement to take on a young champion Larry Holmes, you saw what happened then. When Larry Holmes came out of retirement to take on a young Mike Tyson, you saw what happened. What’s happening right now is Vitali Klitschko is coming out of retirement to take on a young Samuel Peters.

The headline is going to read Murder She Wrote. There isn’t going to be any doubt about it. We’ll get a knockout. We’re not taking this guy lightly. That’s why we came here early, because we know it’s a dangerous fight and a good fight. But Samuel is a whole new Samuel Peters. We’re looking forward to a great fight.

Loeffler: We’re very excited at K2 Promotions to co‑promote the fight with Dino Duva of Duva Boxing with Don King Productions. This is going to be a great fight. It’s really probably the best heavyweight matchup in quite a while where you have a proven champion in Samuel Peter, and then you have Vitali, who never lost his title in the ring, coming back.

Just to get to what Stacy was talking about, on our side we’re looking at it more as a Mohammed Ali coming out of retirement, not retirement, but time off and beating George Foreman. I think that’s the way we’re looking at it. Vitali will come back to claim his title and prove that he’s still a champion.

We’re happy to work with SHOWTIME to broadcast this fight in the United States. But, one thing the press hasn’t picked up, if Vitali wins it will be the first time in history where two brothers have held a heavyweight championship at the same time. That’s a historical event from our side at K2 Promotions.

Boente: Hello, everybody. We are here at the training camp in the Austrian Alps, where we’ve been before. Wladimir trained here and Vitali has trained here a couple times a year in the last eight years. The conditions are wonderful. We have great sparring partners. Fritz Sdunek (Klitschko’s trainer) is very, very happy with the improvement.

Vitali is already absolutely ready and looking forward to the fight. The tickets sales are great. We had media day here yesterday, and today we had around 70 or 80 journalists over here. It was really great. It’s a huge fight for everybody here in Europe, not only in Germany and Austria. We had teams from Croatia over here. Everybody in Europe is looking forward to a great event, especially because both fighters train over here. We all are looking forward to a great fight night.

Peter: I just want to thank God for everything and giving me an opportunity to redeem myself. It’s been a short time, but now I’m the champion and I’m happy we put this fight back together right here in Germany.

I’m still the WBC heavyweight champion of the world. I don’t know what gives him a right to step in my spotlight. We have a very big fight coming up on October 11th. I’m ready, ready to go. I’ve never given up on any fight. In 2001, I never stopped a fight. I thank God for that. Anybody who wants to fight Samuel Peter, I’m ready for you. But I don’t know what gives him a right to step in my heavenly.

Klitschko: Good evening. Good afternoon everybody. I’m very happy to take part in this conference call. Right now, I am in Austria. The preparation has been going well and I have a very good sparring partner. He looks just like Samuel Peter. Some partners are a little bit bigger, some partners are a little smaller. Some are exactly the same. Actually, I have to order some new sparring partners because a couple of them can’t spar anymore.

I feel great and I am very hungry for the fight. I took a break for three-and-a-half years and it was great time for me to recover. What I want to say is Samuel Peter, I’m so sorry, Samuel. You made a fight with Wladimir and Wladimir stopped you. You had to wait a couple of years to fight for world championship again. You grew and you are now at world champion. I have nothing against you, but I want to fight again for my title and take my title back.

Peter: I don’t have anything against you, you know. I don’t have anything in my heart against you.

Klitschko: After that you can talk and speak. I am very optimistic for the fight and all preparations are going well. This fight will be very interesting because in the ring will be two world champions.

I don’t lose my title in a fight. I gave up my title three years ago. But now, I want my title back. I’m healthy right now and I don’t want to underestimate Samuel Peter because he is a very strong fighter. I have followed his career and I know the fight will not be easy. It will be very, very interesting for everybody who buys the tickets, who will be in 02 in Berlin and for everyone watching the fight SHOWTIME. I know the fight will be seen in more than 100 countries around the world. It will be a real heavyweight fight between two world champions, because I’m the world champion, the champion who doesn’t lose his title, and against active world champion Samuel Peter.

Question: Sam, do you have any concerns about fighting in Germany?

Peter: This is great news. This is my dream. My dream is to fight in Germany because I’ve never been to Germany. I’ve heard about Germany for my entire career. I’m so happy. It’s a great place to make history.

Question: Vitali, during this time off for you, due to the injuries, was there ever any doubt in your mind that you would be able to resume your boxing career? Is there added pressure on you to win this fight so you guys can make history?

Klitschko: You know what I very much appreciate that the president of the WBC give me a chance to fight for the world title. As it happens right now, Samuel Peters is the world champion and I’m happy to fight him. I’ve recovered 100 percent and I feel great. The injuries are in the past. I feel healthy and I don’t think about it. I just look forward to the fight. I’m ready to show my performance inside the ring and I’m not worried about whether you will see the old or the new Vitali Klitschko.

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