AMIR KHAN’S REMATCH against Lamont Peterson has been officially called-off after the American champion tested positive for a banned steroid.
Earlier this week, Peterson returned a positive reading for ‘synthetic testosterone’. The world-welterweight title, scheduled for May 19 in Las Vegas, had been in doubt following the news but Golden Boy Promotions and Khan himself confirmed the cancellation of the fight.
Khan revealed the news last night via Twitter: “The fight is off!”
“Sorry everyone the only person to blame is @kingpete26 I’ll be looking for an opponent to fight June 30th.” A statement was then issued on the Golden Boy Promotions website.
“A failed pre-fight drug test administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), coupled with the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s (NSAC) legal inability to hold a formal hearing on the matter of licensing Lamont Peterson for his Saturday, May 19 rematch against Amir Khan until Tuesday, May 15, has forced the cancellation of the event.”
Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer confirmed Peterson gave a negative test in April after testing positive from the A and B samples taken in March. The Nevada State Athletic Commission were due to hold a meeting on May 15 to discuss whether to grant Peterson a license but Golden Boy decided it would be too close to the fight.
And Schaefer questioned why they were not informed of the positive test earlier at an earlier time.
“I got a call from the executive director of the Nevada State Commission who informed us he had seen a letter from VADA which confirmed Lamont Petersen has tested positive for a substance consistent with the administration of a steroid,” he said.
“A urine specimen was taken from both fighters on March 19 in an unannounced test following the press conference in Los Angeles.
“The first results of Lamont Peterson’s sample were reported to VADA by the lab on April 12. VADA informed Peterson on April 13. Why we were not informed is a mystery to me.
“The process of examining the ‘B’ sample began at the lab on April 30 – why it took from April 13 to April 30 to test the B sample is again a mystery to me – if I’d been informed I would have asked for expedited testing.”
Khan controversially lost his WBA and IBF titles to Peterson in December but the Englishman is hopeful of either seeing his titles returned to him or being given the chance to fight for the vacant belts.
