Amir Khan gets a second chance
After Lamont Peterson tests positive in drug test, Khan reinstated with belt
Last December, American Lamont Peterson beat Briton’s Amir Khan to take away Khan’s WBA and IBF belts. This past week, Khan got one of them straight back. After testing positive in a drug test, Peterson was stripped of his WBA belt, and by default, the belt given back to Khan.
The WBA released a statement reading, “The World Championships Committee of the World Boxing Association officially announced today its decision to reinstate the British boxer Amir Khan as super champion who may be able to unify title with Danny Garcia on Saturday, July 14.”
The WBA could have merely stripped Peterson of the belt and left it vacant, but they chose to give it to Khan so that he can reign as the super champion in the junior welterweight class. Argentine Marcos Maidana is still the WBA's regular titleholder in the junior welterweight class.
Khan was very happy to hear the news, as he told The Telegraph, “Justice has been done. I'm glad the WBA are reinstating me as champion, it means I walk into this fight as world champion.”
For now, Peterson still has the IBF title belt due to the slow progress of the committee in charge. They will not meet until August at the earliest since they are waiting for Peterson’s hearing in Nevada.
The fight against American Danny Garcia this Saturday is still a unification bout, however, as Garcia recently won the WBC belt off of a March fight against Mexican Erik Morales.
Also recently released, the Ring magazine will be putting their belt on the line for both the fighters, totaling a substantial three different belts up for grabs for the winner of the fight.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions talks about this to The Telegraph, “It's great news. And it's great news for both fighters as the winner of this fight will be recognised as the best 140-pounder in the world.”
After Lamont Peterson tests positive in drug test, Khan reinstated with belt
Last December, American Lamont Peterson beat Briton’s Amir Khan to take away Khan’s WBA and IBF belts. This past week, Khan got one of them straight back. After testing positive in a drug test, Peterson was stripped of his WBA belt, and by default, the belt given back to Khan.
The WBA released a statement reading, “The World Championships Committee of the World Boxing Association officially announced today its decision to reinstate the British boxer Amir Khan as super champion who may be able to unify title with Danny Garcia on Saturday, July 14.”
The WBA could have merely stripped Peterson of the belt and left it vacant, but they chose to give it to Khan so that he can reign as the super champion in the junior welterweight class. Argentine Marcos Maidana is still the WBA's regular titleholder in the junior welterweight class.
Khan was very happy to hear the news, as he told The Telegraph, “Justice has been done. I'm glad the WBA are reinstating me as champion, it means I walk into this fight as world champion.”
For now, Peterson still has the IBF title belt due to the slow progress of the committee in charge. They will not meet until August at the earliest since they are waiting for Peterson’s hearing in Nevada.
The fight against American Danny Garcia this Saturday is still a unification bout, however, as Garcia recently won the WBC belt off of a March fight against Mexican Erik Morales.
Also recently released, the Ring magazine will be putting their belt on the line for both the fighters, totaling a substantial three different belts up for grabs for the winner of the fight.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions talks about this to The Telegraph, “It's great news. And it's great news for both fighters as the winner of this fight will be recognised as the best 140-pounder in the world.”
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