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Samuel Peter might be key piece to Heavyweight unification

Brothers fight, it is just that plain and simple. That is what we do. You see I have an older brother by four years so I am well aware of the consequences of being the baby. But as I grew I learned the life lesson of fighting back. And at times Steve, he being the older sibling previously mentioned, learned that I too, could dish it out. Just ask our parents about the bathroom door incident.

But there is also a weird dynamic when it comes to having a brother. It basically works on this principle: me and my brother can beat the hell out of each other, but nobody and I mean nobody else better mess with us.

It is a solid foundation on which families have lived for centuries. Mess with my brother, you mess with me.

And as simplistic as it is, it could be the reason we could have our first "real" Heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.

The brothers Klitschko have a brotherly bond so if someone beats up one of them then the other is sure to want some revenge. Just go back to when Corrie Sanders stunned Wladimir in March of 2003 to take the younger Klitschko's piece of the Heavyweight pie. One could see Vitali seething in the ring after the fight. One minute he was tending to his wounded brother, the next he was burning a hole through Sanders with his eyes.

A year later Vitali got his revenge and restored, in his mind, the family honor. But could we be on the cusp of another us versus him saga. The Klitschkos hope not, but for the good of boxing it is easy to lean on the side of "hope so".

On September 11th, Dr. Steelhammer will take on previous victim, Samuel Peter. Peter and Klitschko went at it almost exactly five years ago in New Jersey. Many thought that the crude power of Samuel would spell the downfall of Wladimir. And it nearly did. Klitschko controlled the action from a distance using the effective, but equally boring, jab and grab technique.

The good news for Peter was that every time he seemed to land his hard punches it had a damaging effect on Klitschko. A couple of times he even had Wladimir on the canvas. The bad news for Peter was that Klitschko was simply a much better boxer and that was the reason that Wlad won on that night.

Fast forward to October 2008 and we find Vitali defending his piece of the Heavyweight pie by thoroughly beating up on a slow, former image of his self, Sam Peter. Peter followed up this by losing to Eddie Chambers.

Since that time someone, possibly his promoter, must have whispered in Samuel's ear that he may be able to get one last shot at a title. It was then that Peter appeared to start actually training ,i.e., pushing away the extra food. He has since gone four and 0 with four kayoes. Mind you, it has been against less than stellar opposition. But sometimes it is the mental side of boxing that makes you a champion.

Klitschko has also improved. He seems for confidant than ever before, but we still see that jab and grab way too often. So if by some strange fate Peter catches Wladimir and stops him, will Vitali be the first in the ring to challenge Peter? Will Peter feel as if he is now the legitimate fighter many thought he could of been years ago? If so, then Peter may want THAT rematch with Vitali that could give us "one" Heavyweight champion.

Wladimir is a great guy and a good humanitarian. But wouldn't boxing be better off with a little upset in September?

Glenn Wilson

Texas justice would have Pacquiao stopping Margarito in one

Thursday made it official. Too many times in boxing money over rules common sense. Thursday was a day that the officials in Texas decided that the best thing to do was give Antonio Margarito a license to box in their state.

For sure the fact that millions will come into the state had no bearing on the outcome. It is a business move afterall. For the state, it is actually a smart business move.

But boxing has a way of shooting itself in the foot repeatedly, and this is one of those times. Texas has been receiving bad press for years because of some of the unimaginable decisions it's judges have rendered in boxing matches throughout the state. Most recently was the first Paulie Malignaggi-Juan Diaz fight.

Now officials decide to grant Margocheato a license after being turned down by California. California was the state that Tony got caught in with his plaster wraps and was subsequently suspended.

This is not an uncommon practice, other states have issued licenses to fighters that were previously turned down. Most notably was the decision of Tennessee to grant Mike Tyson a chance to fight Lennox Lewis after being rejected by Nevada.

But sometimes, we as fans, are treated like know nothings and watch a great sport once again get slapped in the face. Case in point, the idea that Manny Pacquiao has to deal with Antonio Margarito at all. For some reason this fight will be for an alphabet belt. And that is great for Manny Pacquiao, but why in the world is Margarito involved at all.

The answer might be Bob Arum. He promotes both fighters, so he is in a win-win situation. But the only way we are in a win-win situation is if we are Margarito fans.

Believe me, I was a staunch Margarito supporter at one time. I even wrote articles asking why no big names would fight him. But that all changed in 2009.

Tony's fans will say everyone deserves a second chance. But illegal wraps can kill a man in the ring and it is still hard to believe that Margarito never had a clue. If he didn't, then maybe he has taken too many shots to the head and this fight shouldn't go on.

Freddie Roach doesn't seem too worried about the fight. It may have been the fact that Shane Mosley exposed Margarito when they fought. He showed that he was a slow plodder that couldn't handle speed or combinations, Pacman's specialty.

So give boxing fans, with apologies to Margarito fans, a get well present in November. Give us a fight that doesn't come close to all the hype we are getting ready to be drowned in. Give us a fight that shouldn't be happening to start with.

As for me, the best thing that can happen is for Manny to stop Margarito in the first round and that is what I will be pulling for. Then maybe, just maybe, we can get to the fight everybody wants-Pacquiao vs. Mayweather.