Klitschko pounded Peter with some heavy blows to the head

Vitali Klitschko made a successful comeback to the ring by beating Samuel Peter to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title in Berlin.

Out of action since 2004, the Ukrainian controlled the whole fight and sealed the win when the Nigerian retired after the eighth round.

Peter struggled to get into the bout as the 37-year-old looked in superb form.

The win sees him join younger brother Wladimir, the IBF and WBO title-holder, as a world champion.

Klitschko, whose last fight was a successful title defence against Danny Williams in Las Vegas, had been stripped of the WBC belt in 2005 after withdrawing from a title bout because of a torn right knee ligament.

The WBC later named him "champion emeritus", but the 27-year-old Peter was the authentic champion having stopped Russia's Oleg Maskaev to claim the belt in March.

Despite his long absence from the ring, Klitschko showed no signs of rustiness from the start against a ponderous Peter.

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"Today I have realised one of our dreams and we will carry on dreaming," said Klitschko, who has repeatedly stated that he will not fight his brother in a future bout.

"It would be great to take all the world titles in the Klitschko family."

Klitschko added that although he felt Peter was too slow to trouble him, he was surprised when his opponent chose to withdraw.

"I was surprised because I promised to stop the fight. I had to stop the fight, not Samuel Peter," he said.

And after an emotional celebration with his brother, Wladimir said his elder sibling had done the family name proud.

"You proved that you are the better of the Klitschkos, I am proud of you," he said.

Peter's manager Ivaylo Gotsev added that his fighter would recover from the defeat.

"Rest assured, just like he came back from his previous loss (against Wladimir Klitschko) , you can be sure he's going to be back again," he said.

"Samuel never gives up. Tonight wasn't his night. Vitali was superior. His (Peter's) corner said stop the fight. He would never quit."