Is Vitali Is or Is Vitali Ain’t?

(Photo by Eddie Goldman)

Here they are above, at the kickoff New York news conference on August 27. The contracts have been signed, the TV deals have been set, the media conference call has been held, and the words have flown. Supposedly, WBC heavyweight champion Samuel Peter will face WBC heavyweight champion “emeritus” Vitali Klitschko this Saturday, October 11, in Berlin, Germany.

But will their fists actually fly October 11? I wonder not what the odds are for who will win and how, but if there will be a fight and a winner at all.

We already recently had the Sept. 13 Nate Campbell-Joan Guzman fight cancelled when Guzman was too far over the lightweight limit, and the Oct. 4 Arthur Abraham-Raul Marquez fight cancelled when Abraham claimed he had the flu.

The brittle elder Klitschko is now 37 years old, hasn’t fought since December 2004, and had a few fights after that cancelled with Hasim Rahman, before retiring in 2005. Now he claims that he is all healed from his ailments and ready to fight.

This is boxing, so not only expect the unexpected, but count on it. At least Showtime also has the Antonio Tarver-Chad Dawson light heavyweight title fight from Las Vegas scheduled for their telecast in case the heavyweights fall through. And if the whole card goes bust, there’s always “The Grand Ole Opry” on GAC.