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Peter beats Toney to earn WBC shot

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MIAMI, Florida -- Samuel Peter scored a unanimous decision over James Toney in their WBC heavyweight elimination bout on Saturday.

'The Nigerian Nightmare' was the clear winner on the scorecards of all three judges, with one scoring the fight 119-108 and the other two 118-110.

The impressive performance will earn Peter (28-1, 22 knockouts) a title shot against WBC champion Oleg Maskaev, while the battered Toney (69-6-3) was left pondering his future.

"This was my best fight," Peter said in a ringside interview. "I trained hard for this."

It was the second win for the Nigerian over Toney, who bitterly complained about the split decision he lost in Los Angeles on September 2.

Due to the close decision in the first fight the WBC ordered a rematch, with the winner slated to get a title shot. Peter left little doubt as to who the winner was Saturday.

He danced around the ring after the decision was announced while Toney, his left eye partially swollen shut, threw up his hands in disgust.

Peter staggered Toney midway through the first round and in the second connected with a left that put the 38-year-old on the canvas for the first time since he was floored by Roy Jones in 1994.

Toney had a spirited fourth, but Peter shook him again with a flurry of blows in the 11th round, with Toney just managing to stay on his feet.

Peter was warned twice during the fight for hitting Toney on the back of the head, but was not docked any points.

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