Peter retains WBC interim heavyweight title

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nigeria's Samuel Peter won a unanimous decision over American Jameel McCline to retain his WBC interim heavyweight title on Saturday, despite being knocked down three times.

Peter, who was awarded the interim title when holder Oleg Maskaev of Russia pulled out of his mandatory defence against the Nigerian because of a back injury, improved to 29-1.

The 37-year-old McCline, 10 years older than Peter, dropped to 38-8-3.

The challenger, in his fourth attempt to win a world title, scored a flash knockdown at the end of the second round when he caught an off-balance Peter with a short right to the chin.

The American, who had a five-inch advantage in height and four inches in reach, came out swinging in the third round, pounding the Nigerian with rights and dropping him to the canvas after the first minute.

A staggering Peter tried to fight back but McCline continued the assault. He landed a series of left hooks to the head before putting him down again one minute later with a bristling combination.

NEW MAN

The Nigerian held on to survive the round and came out like a new man in the fourth, reverting to the stinging jab and thudding combinations he used in the first round.

Peter won round after round from that point on. Although he never really seemed to hurt McCline, he continually beat him to the punch to overcome the early lead taken by the American.

Judge Julie Lederman had it 115-112, Steve Weisfeld scored it 115-111 and Billy Costello made it 115-110 for Peter.

"When I was knocked down I said to myself, 'no, no, no I am the champion and I have to defend the belt,'" Peter said in the ring after his victory.

McCline said: "I could've finished him. I should've finished him, but I didn't. I thought I had him. He got away and that's why he's still champion."

Peter, who said he broke his left hand during training for the fight, is meant to have a mandatory bout against Maskaev, who must either fight or relinquish the crown for good.

In two other heavyweight fights on the card, Poland's Andrew Golota, 39, stopped Irishman Kevin McBride at 2:42 of the sixth round of a scheduled 12-rounder. Golota improved to 40-6-1, while the 288-pound (130.6 kg) McBride fell to 34-6-1.

Australian Kali Meehan improved to 33-3 when he stopped American DaVarryl Williamson in sixth round with a huge roundhouse right to the side of the head as the bell sounded.

In a WBA super welterweight elimination bout, Daniel Santos of Puerto Rico stopped American Jose Antonio Rivera in the eighth round. Santos dominated to improve to 31-3-1, while Rivera dropped to 38-6-1.