World Boxing News 2010-2013

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Picture by Andy Couldridge Kendall Holt gains IBF belt chance IBF light-welterweight champion Lamont Peterson will finally make his ring return after fourteen months out when the American tackles former WBO title holder Kendall Holt in Washington D.C. Peterson has not fought since allegedly testing positive for steroids in the wake of his career-best victory over Amir Khan in the same State in December 2011 and was given special dispensation by the IBF to keep his title. The 28 year-old, who has lost just once in 32 outings, will now attempt to piece back together his ruptured reputation and will headline ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights on February 22 as confirmed today by their own chief boxing writer  Dan Rafael. Challenger Holt, 31, has lost to three world champions in his last six bouts, but did end the challenge of fringe contender Tim Coleman in two impressive rounds last time out to gain his shot at regaining the w...

If IBF light-welterweight champion Lamont Peterson and former belt holder Zab Judah meet in their mandated bout later this year they will have to take a hefty pay cut from the purses they normally receive. This week's purse bid attracted just one offer of $50,000 from Headbanger Boxing, the firm run by Peterson's manager and trainer Barry Hunter. As champion Peterson would receive 75 per cent of that figure ($37,500), leaving Judah with just $12,500. Those figures are a far cry from what the two boxers have received in previous bouts but perhaps reflect how their marquee values have fallen. Indeed, despite Peterson being the reigning titlist his reputation has been hit by allegations of drug use in his fight with Amir Khan.

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor No guarantees that Judah fight will go ahead Lamont Peterson’s reprieve from sanctions by the International Boxing Federation may not be the end of the matter as the American issues a statement conveying his thanks to the IBF for allowing him to remain champion. Jeanette Salazar, spokesperson for the IBF, admitted to WBN that any other punishments dished out to Peterson for testing positive for a banned substance are out of their control and that a boxing commission ban could end his hopes of meeting the deadline to defend against mandatory challenger Zab Judah. “I can only speak for the IBF as this was done for our purposes and in accordance with our rules,” Salazar told World Boxing News. “We will have to wait and see what will happen with any other sanctioning organization and boxing commissions.” Peterson, 28, has to arrange the title defence with five-time world champion Judah in the coming weeks in accordance to their arrangeme...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Body reviewing Peterson documents The Internation Boxing Federation have called the WBA’s ruling to reappoint Amir Khan as their champion a ‘big decision’ and plan to make their own judgement in the future after receiving the relevant documents. Lamont Peterson tested positive for a banned steroid in a post-fight drug test following his twelve round victory over Khan in Washington late last year, and has since admitted administering testosterone in the pre-fight build-up. The American took Khan’s IBF and WBA title in the process, although the WBA have since stripped Peterson and reinstated the British fighter as their champion in the wake of their own reviewing process. Confirmation has not yet been released that Peterson knowingly tried to gain an advantage over his opponent in December and IBF spokesperson Jeanette Salazar told WBN that they are currently weighing up the evidence in the case. “We have received the documents and the...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Failed test costing ‘Havoc’ his titles and reputation Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya believes that Lamont Peterson is having to face up to his actions following the WBA’s decision to strip him of the light-welterweight title he took from Amir Khan last year. The Washington fighter’s failed drug-test and admittance to taking steroids in the build-up to his fight with the former title holder could now cost him the IBF version with a judgement expected soon and De La Hoya stated that action needed to be taken. “The judges did get it wrong with the decision in terms of Khan-Peterson,” De La Hoya told mydesert.com. “With Peterson, he did something he shouldn't do in the sport of boxing or any other sport. He got caught and is paying the consequences.” Peterson, 28, could end a difficult year fight-less and without a title as the row and subsequent investigation continues in the positive test, and the American is now seemin...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Unified belt holder says he is still champion Lamont Peterson has responded to calls that he is a drugs cheat by vowing to fight the allegations labelled against him and is insistant that he remains the WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion of the world. The 28 year-old, who’s scheduled rematch with Amir Khan was postponed due to the positive test in March, is ready to fight his corner in upcoming hearings with both organisations and is not ready to give up his world titles just yet. "Let the commission decide, let the sanctioning bodies decide. Until that point I'm still the champ,” stated Peterson. "I just want them, the commission, to know that I didn't intend to cheat or gain any advantage. "At the end of the day if I cheat, I don't win and I'm one who loves to win and I don't need nobody or anything to help me to win. "I've never been a cheat. I don't like it when people cheat. I...

Team Peterson is very disappointed and distraught by the decision to cancel the May 19th rematch against Amir Khan.  This is an extremely difficult decision to accept. We have always taken the position of providing factual information rather than responding emotionally to rumors and innuendoes. We did everything that was asked of us in efforts to comply. To support our stance we provided the Nevada State Athletic Commission with a significant amount of factual medical data in response to these allegations. Lamont did a battery of test this week and saw a number of independent board certified physicians. They all had the exact same conclusion as the doctor that initially treated and diagnosed Lamont’s medical condition. It began as a confidential medical matter between a patient and his physician; unfortunately, it has now become a public issue in efforts to clear the name and reputation of this young man. As a condition for this rematch Lamont demanded that Olympic style...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Champion faces hearing on May 15th Amir Khan has lost the chance to avenge his December defeat to Lamont Peterson following the cancellation of the May 19 th event on the back of the American testing positive for a banned substance. Khan, 25, now faces an anxious wait to discover what sanctions will be brought against the WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion and it is unclear at this stage when the former title holder will fight again. 28 year-old Peterson was found to have surgically implanted testosterone pellets in his system as the results of a random drug test were made public and the Washington fighter’s career in now in tatters. ‘Havoc’ faces loses both his titles and at least a 12 month ban in the coming weeks and according to early indications, Khan’s team are attempting to push for a no-contest in the first fight and the full reinstating of the Bolton man as 140lb world champion. A statement from Team Khan read: A faile...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Golden Boy chief awaiting fight verdict A decision on whether Lamont Peterson will be cleared to defend his world titles against Amir Khan on May 19th is due later today after it emerged that the American tested positive for a banned steroid. The 28 year-old, who defeated the Bolton fighter in December in a controversial bout, faces a ban from the sport if found guilty and could also be stripped of his world titles without throwing a punch. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer has called on the sanctioning bodies involved to show ‘zero tolerance’ to Peterson if the reports are confirmed and wants Olympic style drug testing introduced as advocated by Floyd Mayweather for years. Khan, 25, is due to rematch Peterson on May 19th at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas as the Briton hopes to reclaim his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles from the Washington fighter before moving up to 147lbs.

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Supervisor unreachable according to WBA and IBF The head official involved in the controversial Lamont Peterson v Amir Khan world title fight on December 10 th last year Michael Welsh, is unresponsive to calls from the WBA and IBF and has been feeling ‘depressed’ according to a report in The Daily Telegraph. Welsh, who was ringside at the bout to supervise the scorecards, was repeatedly seen in contact with Mustafa Ameen throughout the close fight in Washington and as a storm brewed over the activity of Ameen, Welsh became unreachable according to the sanctioning bodies of the contest. "We have called him several times but we are getting no response from him," WBA Vice-President Gilberto Mendoza told the newspaper. IBF public relations director Jeanette Salazar followed Mendoza by stating: "We were unable to reach Mr Welsh after repeated attempts to contact him.” Concerns are now beginning to intensify as Welsh continues ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Off-duty official insists he never touched anything The man who as at the centre of a storm between Amir Khan and the IBF - Mustafa Ameen, has admitted that he was helping to correct the scorecards last month as Khan lost his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles to Lamont Peterson, even though he was not appointed by any organisation. Ameen was due to attend a hearing today to explain his actions but when it was made known that he would not attend the IBF appointment, Khan subsequently withdraw his complaint in fear of an unfair hearing. The ‘Mystery Man’ or ‘Man in the hat’ as he became known with nobody knowing is identity in the immediate hours after Khan’s Twitter complaint, is now attempting to clear himself of any wrongdoing without any proceedings being brought by Team Khan.  "I noticed one error and a subsequent error. I assisted him in correcting it without touching anything," he told BBC Sport. "I happened to lo...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor WBA give champion 4-6 months to defend against Amir Khan World Boxing Assocaition vice president Gilberto Mendoza has told WBN that Lamont Peterson has ten days to appeal the organisation’s recent decision to hand Amir Khan an immediate rematch with the IBF and WBA light-welterweight champion. Peterson, 27, thought he had become the unified champion with a straightforward split decision point’s victory over the Briton in Washington, but the WBA have now reviewed evidence of alleged scorecard tampering and illegal points deductions handed to them by Team Khan and have ordered a return. “It was ruled a direct rematch,” Mendoza told World Boxing News. “The decision was merely based on true facts and fairness oriented. There is no doubt that the fight was competitive and had controversial calls, but given that, "neutrality" is not guaranteed for pre-emption of local commissions rules over sanctioning bodies and the chances of reducing...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Asif Vali bemoans ‘amateurish’ post-fight display Members of Amir Khan’s backroom team are disgruntled at the way the post-fight scorecard totalling was conducted after the Briton lost his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles in Washington D.C on Saturday night. The 25 year-old’s manager Asif Vali spoke to The Daily Star’s Kevin Francis in the wake of the controversial decision to address discrepancies with one of the judges’ scorecards, in particular that of George Hill.  “It was chaotic and amateurish. The cards are taken by the commissioner at the end of each round and a cumulative total is carried right to the end of the fight. “We were told in the ring at the final bell that Amir had won the fight but then, incredibly, just before Michael Buffer announced the decision, we were told ‘Hang on, we have made a mistake in the counting’. It took about eight minutes for everything to be sorted out with the decision eventually going...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Briton seeking immediate rematch with Peterson Exactly one year ago to the day, Amir Khan was celebrating a close unanimous points win over Marcos Maidana in what turned out to be the Fight of the Year and Khan accepted the plaudits for his efforts. Fast forward twelve months and the former unified champion is on the receiving end and will now know exactly how Maidana felt if the Bolton man goes on to win the award for the second year running. The 25 year-old’s split decision loss to Lamont Peterson is to be contested by his team after what they saw as discrepancies in referee Joe Cooper’s awarding of points deductions which ultimately cost Khan his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles in Washington. Khan is looking to secure and immediate rematch with the American, hopefully in the UK in March if the money is right and any chance that he had of facing Floyd Mayweather in 2012 disappeared when the final judges’ card read 113-112 to Pet...

Amir Khan v Lamont Peterson ( WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles ) Convention Center, Washington, USA 12x3                                                    Khan                           Peterson                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                  Round 1                       10 (1)                               8              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------       ...