-Photo Credit: Tom Casino/Showtime-

"Peter vs. Toney 2...  Redemption" was a sellout at the box office on Saturday night with 5,328 in attendance in Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., making the event, as promised in the promotion, the biggest fight ever staged in this new venue.


Post-Fight Quotes:

Samuel Peter:  “You saw what I did tonight,” Peter said.  “I taunted him [Toney].  I gave him the Muhammad Ali shuffle, with a little Floyd Mayweather, too.

“This was my best fight.  I fight the best.  The South Florida camp Don King made me do was great.  He didn’t let me stay in Las Vegas.  I had a great training camp.  I even missed Christmas.  I ran on the beach for the first time and I loved it.  I had a great team.

“I trained hard.  Toney is a very slick guy.  He trained hard and is crafty.

“I’m not the best heavyweight yet.  I have to give the world champions credit, they have the belts.  But I am going to be the best and take the belts from them all.

“I have great jab.  It’s like a right hand.  Toney kept saying, ‘Hit me, hit me’ and I hit him.  It will be sweet to be the very first heavyweight world champion from Africa.”

Dino Duva: “We will challenge any of the champions but we will clearly challenge Maskaev first.

James Toney:  “Nobody knocks James Toney out,” Toney said.  “Nobody.”

“I came all the way from middleweight.  I’m still the best fighter out there.

“I give him [Peter] three rounds at the most.  I took his best shots.  I’m still standing.

Freddie Roach:  James looked a little flat coming out in the first round.  What can I say?  We didn’t have it tonight.”

Travis Simms:  “I’m back,” Simms shouted in the ring after the fight.  ”Rivera was green but an awesome competitor.  I felt the rust tonight but I paced myself.  I did what I had to do.

“I hit him with a big left in the second [round] that felt great.  It was just a matter of time after that.  Look at the outcome.  I was off a long time but there comes a time when a fighter must come back.”

“I was being patient towards the end.  I noticed he was dropping his hands so I was looking for an opportunity.  I’m not known as a power puncher.  I’m a stick-and-move guy but I showed my power tonight.

“I’ll take Cory Spinks next, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, whatever.

“I persevered.  I stayed to my game plan and now I’m the champion.  I stayed in the gym, worked hard and was determined.  I’m a young 35, fit healthy and strong.  I knew he was tough. We have history from the amateur days.  I relied on my speed but don’t doubt my power and dedication.

Jose Antonio Rivera: “I’ll be back,” Rivera said.  “I have proven that I can come back.  I have no excuses.  He hit me with some great hard shots.

“I will re-group with my team and see where I go from here.  I told the ref that as long as I’m still standing, don’t stop the fight.”

1-6-2007