Former world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko said Monday he is fighting fit and ready for his bid to dispossess Nigeria's Samuel Peter of his WBC champions belt.

Klitschko, of Ukraine, last boxed in 2004 but is a former WBC and WBO heavyweight champion. Despite the four-year absence, the 37-year-old says he is ready for Saturday's challenge.

"I'm in good shape and ready for the fight. It should be quite special," he said on Monday, making reference to the fight's possible historical significance.

If successful, he will become a reigning world heavyweight champion at the same time as his brother Vladimir, who is the reigning champion in the IBF, WBO and IBO divisions.

Vitali Klitschko retired in November 2005 after a back and knee injury.

Peter, the 27-year-old who is dubbed the "Nigerian Nightmare", has been the reigning champion since March 8,

At 30-1 with 23 knockouts, he stopped Oleg Maskaev in March at Cancun, Mexico, to win the WBC crown. The Nigerian's hope is to dispatch one Klitschko before having a hope of taking the other's International Boxing Federation crown.

(AFP via China Daily October 8, 2008)