By James Slater: I didn’t think it would take long for former 140-pound champ Amir Khan to give his opinion on the recent decision by the IBF to allow Lamont Peterson to retain his position as their 140-pound world champion. Khan, who was controversially out-pointed by Peterson last December, by a Peterson who was later caught taking PED’s, was never going to be happy that the IBF failed to follow the lead of the WBA and strip the admitted cheat.
And today, via his official Twitter page, Khan let his feelings on the matter be known:
“IBF give Peterson the title and heard he is fighting Judda (sic) next. Wow, so it must be ok to take drugs in boxing + still box.
“Peterson was caught juiced up so WBA reinstated the title back. IBF I heard have Peterson still champ and NO ban. What’s point of drugs tests.
“I’m not bitter 1 bit about wot the IBF have done, its jus unfair in sport. Getting caught taking drugs. Lol he can keep the title and the W.”
I must say, I agree with Khan. Peterson, who may not yet get licensed to box (so his punishment may still wind up fitting the crime), has seemingly got off quite easy. Look at the U.K’s Larry Olubamiwo: he gets caught taking illegal stimulants and gets banned for four long years. Talk about double standards. Khan says he’s not bitter, but judging by his comments he sounds as though he is, at least a touch – and who can really blame him?
How much money will Peterson stand to earn from the Judah fight, and then later fights if he wins that one? At the very least, I think the IBF and the WBA should have changed Peterson’s SD win to a No-Contest and ordered an immediate rematch between the two – I mean, if Peterson is going to be allowed to fight, he should not be facing Judah; he should be facing the man he defeated whilst on PED’s.
Khan is the real loser in all of this. Because of the planned May 19th rematch with Peterson being cancelled due to the whole PED things becoming public, Khan had to look for another opponent and wound up facing, and losing to, Danny Garcia. Had Peterson not cheated, Khan would possibly have never even fought Garcia. Talk about a run of bad luck for a fine fighter who has done nothing but obey the rules. Rules that continue to change it seems.