Vitaliy Klitschko reclaimed the World Boxing Council belt and fulfilled a self-formed dream to hold a heavyweight title at the same time as his brother, stopping Samuel Peter with a technical knockout Saturday night.

Peter has decided not to return out after eight rounds that saw him weaving and occasionally wobbling as Klitschko landed a persistent stream of heavy left jabs to Peter's head in front of more than 13 000 people at the new Boxing World Arena.

The 37-year-old Ukrainian box player used his height and reach to keep Peter crouched and protective.

Volodymyr Klitschko, who is considered to be the most talented among heavyweight boxing champions, holds the International Boxing Federation, International Boxing Organization and World Boxing Organization heavyweight belts - and has dealt Peter his only last loss, in autumn 2005 in a 12-round unanimous decision.

Peter, a 28-year-old Nigerian-born boxing fighter, kept a tight protective stance and fitted to plant a series of solid body shots on his towering opponent. But after 8 rounds he hasn't worked consistently inside Klitschko's massive attack.

Klitschko told reporters after the play that he wouldn't have needed much longer to bring on a promise to end the fight by knockout.

The honorary status he obtained, brought him the right to fight Peter, who won the interim belt in a fight against Jameel McCline last autumn, whenever Klitschko chose to come out of retirement.

"I knew if I lost the fight I wouldn't get a second possibility," Klitschko admitted to reporters after the fight. "It was a one-way ticket, and I used my possibility."

Klitschko is a champion who won the WBC title for the thrid time. The Peter fight was Klitschko's first since he won the crown with an eighth-round win over Danny Williams in Las Vegas in 2004.

Klitschko's fights as a powerful puncher have often been overshadowed by injury. In 2005, he withdrew from a WBC title fight with Hasim Rahman because of a torn ligament in one of his knees. The injury led him to announce his retirement, and the WBC made him "champion emeritus." Last fall, he announced a comeback fight against Jameel McCline, only to return after hurting his back and undergoing emergency surgery.