By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY

Power, pressure serving and grass-court experience prevailed Thursday as Serena and Venus Williams earned the right to make the final a family affair.

WIMBLEDON, England — Standing on the now-patchy grass of Centre Court on Thursday and smiling at her family in the players’ box with delight and a bit of relief in her eyes, Serena Williams was also looking at the only woman left who can stop her from winning a third Wimbledon title.

That would be her older sister Venus, who will try to win her fifth singles title at the All England Club.

   Serena, left, and Venus Williams will meet in the women’s singles finals at Wimbledon.

It has been five years since the Williamses played each other for a Grand Slam trophy, five years since Serena beat Venus here in straight sets in the 2003 final; five years since the sisters dominated their sport and the rest of the field was trying in vain to catch up to their power, athleticism and self-belief……[MORE >>]

REFERENCES:

>> Why Serena Williams will not vote for Barack Obama

Venus Williams quote: “Some people say that I have an attitude- Maybe I do. But I think that you have to. You have to believe in yourself when no one else does- that makes you a winner right there.”

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Saturday, March 8, 2008
CANCUN, Mexico

Peter stops Maskaev, claims portion of heavyweight championship

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Samuel Peter showed killer instinct and brutal punching power in stopping Oleg Maskaev to win a portion of the world heavyweight title in Cancun, Mexico.

Peter used a heavy jab and hard right hands to chop down Maskaev.

Sam Peter was a man on a mission

Mission accomplished.

After waiting impatiently for 16 months for a mandatory shot at Oleg Maskaev, Peter gave the bulls the night off on Saturday at the Plaza de Toros, the city’s main bullring, and put on his own hard-charging show as he stopped Maskaev with a violent sixth-round flurry to claim a heavyweight world championship.

It was a dominant performance, one Peter hopes sets up an eventual rematch with unified titleholder Wladimir Klitschko, who handed him his only defeat in a 2005 title eliminator in which Peter scored three knockdowns.

“I’m ready to fight him tomorrow. I’m the best heavyweight of the world. We will knock him out,” Peter said of Klitschko.

Peter, right, used a variety of hooks and crosses to finish a groggy Maskaev.

Peter past the time waiting for the shot at Maskaev by winning two eliminators against James Toney and then an interim title against Jameel McCline when Maskaev pulled out of their fight last fall with a back injury.

Peter made Maskaev pay dearly when they finally met in a fight that was far more pleasing than the Klitschko-Sultan Ibragimov unification snoozefest two weeks ago.

Without politics of sanctioning organizations, Peter’s win should set up the obvious rematch with Klitschko.

….Read More

Said Peter: “I hit him with one and I him with another,” said Peter, 27, who lives and trains in Las Vegas. “Then I crack him up. My jab was good and then I hit him in the head and break off his head. I knew he was strong so I was careful.

…”Klitschkos are very good fighters, but for right now, I’m the best heavyweight in the world,” Peter said. “I will fight them any time, anywhere. I’ll beat both of them on the same night. First the older one (Vitali), and then the other one.” — In reference to the Ukrainian brothers — Wladimir & Vitali Klitschko, the two other dominant heavyweight boxers.

| Samuel Peter’s Official Website | The African Sports Album @ ClubAfrika.com |

FIGHT VIDEOS

Peter Bludgeons Maskaev
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