By James Slater: Former International Boxing Federation (IBF) and WBA 140-pound king Amir Khan has said recently that he wants to get a return fight with Lamont Peterson, stating that a win will get him back to where he was a month ago: looking up at a massive fight with Floyd Mayweather Junior. Khan believed he could beat Mayweather prior to the Dec. 10th upset loss to Peterson, and he thinks the same way now.
In fact, Khan has gone on record as saying he thinks “now is the perfect time to catch Mayweather.” Convinced the time he spends in jail will weaken Mayweather, Khan wants to tidy up the Peterson loss he still (and always will) insists was of the unfair and unjust variety, and then move up to be the first fighter to greet the returning Mayweather.
Peterson, however, has other ideas. Speaking with The Mirror recently, Peterson made it clear he is definitely interested in facing Khan for a second time, but that he wants to knock Khan flat the second time around.
“I want to clear everything up,” Peterson said. “Even though I think I won a clear victory, I really think I can knock Amir out. As a promoter, you want to put these type of excuses in a fighter’s head, like he didn’t really lose, like he was robbed by the referee and the judges. But Amir has to face reality and accept that he lost.
“I don’t want any more dispute about it and the best way to do that is to win by knockout and I think I can do it. In the new year, we will sit down and talk, but I want my next fight to be against Amir. Vegas is good. I’d be happy to go there and that’s something we’ll be talking about.”
Peterson recently saw his name thrown in amongst the possible next opponents for P-4-P king Manny Pacquiao. If this fight is actually offered to the 140-pound ruler he would be mad not to take it. Otherwise, though, I think we will be seeing the hottest and most important and relevant fight that can be made at light-welterweight. And we will then see for sure who the best man is: Khan or Peterson.
The first fight was something of a classic (a number of writers voting it their FOTY) and a rematch would surely provide great action also. Khan should focus entirely on Peterson, and vice versa, and the two rivals can then settle their differences next spring. And this time both men will earn a whole lot more money!
Can Peterson really KO Khan? I don’t think so. Can Peterson repeat his win though? It’s certainly not a 14-1 shot, like it was the first time. And deep down I bet Khan knows it.