This is my continuing list of fights I watched on HBO over the years.
106. Vladimir Klitschko vs. Samuel Peter. September 24, 2005. The luster was gone from the heavyweight division when Lennox Lewis retired, but I watched Klitschko fight because was the reigning champ. He also got knocked down almost every time he fought, and this one from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City was no different. Peter dropped him twice in the fifth, and again in the eight, but Vladimir scored enough points with his jab and boxing, to still go home with a unanimous decision. Hardly a solid performance by any standards, however.
107. Vladimir Klitschko vs. Chris Byrd 2. April 27, 2006. This one from Germany was a rematch from six years earlier, a decision win for Klitschko. He was much more assertive this time, and stopped Byrd with a right hand in the seventh round. Another title defense, and for once, he never was off his feet.
108. Vernon Forrest vs. Ike Quartey. August 6, 2006. I tuned in to see one of the few boxers I liked in Vernon Forrest. The middleweight contest took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and was very close until the end of the tenth round. Vernon got the decision, which made me happy, and I hoped he would get another shot at the title soon.
109. Vladimir Klitschko vs. Calvin Brock. November 11, 2006. Klitschko was dominant in this this title defense from the Garden in New York, stopping Brock in the seventh round. I couldn’t help but like Vladimir, because he had a pleasant personality and friendly demeanor. At least he was a big, strong heavyweight champion, and was ridding the division of pretenders and misfits, which was a good thing.
110. Vladimir Klitschko vs. Ray Austin. March 10, 2007. Berlin was the venue for this quick disposal of Ray Austin. Vladimir was gaining in confidence with each win, and at least I had his fights to look forward to, in an increasingly dreadful list of fighters on the boxing landscape.
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