Showtime championship boxing played the Reno, Nevada circuit for its July first Saturday of the month offering, with prize heavyweight hopeful Samuel Peter pummeling Brownsville, B’klyn pigeon Taurus "The Bull" Sykes at 2:07 of stanza two.

It took no more than the opening three minutes to see, to no surprise, what we were feasting on was an undefeated Peter in the role of predator, and a hapless Sykes playing the deer caught in the oncoming headlights - and then stanza two with "The Bull" reduced to road kill.

The beginning of the end started with a Peter overhand clubbing right at close quarters. The immediate wiggle in the walk saw Peter quickly moving in for the kill - no glazed eyes, but more a look of resignation as the 6-1, 235 Sykes began searching for an exit.

The back door arrived following a barrage of power punches that dropped Sykes to the canvas - with referee Vic Drakulich doing the math and the count reaching five, it was clear Sykes had no interest in beating the count.

Where it goes next is anyone’s guess - the ponderous power punching Peter has been paired delicately to date - biggest scalp on the "Nigerian Nitemare" hit list is a faded Jeremy Williams who went in two, Yanqui Diaz in five, and Gilbert Martinez in three.      

From what this veteran fight watcher has seen in recent Peter outings, is a young 24 year-old in need of mucho schooling - he just may well become a valid title threat, but that  time is still down the proverbial road apiece.

The kid can deliver with power from both sides … problem is the target must be teed up - and to date the targets have been of the willing to be sacrificed variety.

Think the brain trust heed the warnings … and stay the safe course while its prized possession continues the learning process - come graduation day it could result in big dividends.

GEL

7-02-2005