December 10,2011 was a lifetime ago for the reigning IBF Junior Welterweight Champion Lamont Peterson. That was the last time that Peterson stepped into the ring as he gained a controversial win over Amir Khan. Peterson won a split decision over Khan in his native Washington, D.C to earn The WBA and IBF Junior Welterweight Titles. Khan and Peterson were scheduled to have a rematch last May, but the bout was cancelled just days prior to the fight due to Peterson failing a drug test. Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone which caused The Nevada State Athletic Commission to not grant Peterson a license to fight Khan in Las Vegas. Peterson was then stripped of The WBA Junior Welterweight Title as it was given back to Khan.
Now Peterson is attempting to once again make a name for himself in the ring as he will take on Kendall Holt on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on February 22. With a record of 30-1-1, Peterson is looking to gain some respectability within the junior welterweight division and a victory over Holt would be a step in that direction.
Peterson will definitely have a rematch on the horizon with Khan who wasn’t thrilled with the loss that he suffered to Peterson as he lost by split-decision and he couldn’t have been happy when their rematch was cancelled last May. Current WBC and WBA Junior Lightweight Champion Danny Garcia is running roughshod over the 140-pound division which included a fourth-round TKO of Khan last July. Garcia is undefeated and he appears to not be hiding from anyone in that division which means that a fight with Peterson will at some point be on the horizon. Current WBC interim Junior Welterweight Champion Lucas Matthysse in rising up the ranks as well. After Matthysse’s first round knockout of Mike Dallas Jr. last month, he is looking forward to fighting the winner of the Danny Garcia-Zab Judah contest in April and he as well could be in line to take on Peterson.
What will also allow Peterson to once again become relevant is his recent signing with Golden Boy Promotions. Golden Boy currently represents Matthysse and Garcia as well. With Khan, Matthysse, Garcia, and Zab Judah all currently in The Junior Welterweight Division, Peterson will have a chance write his own ticket on his quest to make people forget about his failed drug test.
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