Lamont Peterson: Positive Drug Test Should Result in Stripping of Championships

With a rematch against Amir Khan just a couple weeks away, junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson is suddenly in hot water as sources are reporting that he tested positive for synthetic testosterone in a random drug test in March, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.

Peterson defeated Khan controversially back in December by split decision in a match filled with questions about officiating and the judges' scorecards. Although no positive drug tests have been reported from before or immediately after that fight, the boxing commission needs to act swiftly.

There may be some sort of logical explanation for why Peterson had unnatural testosterone in his body, but the most likely reason for the positive test is that he was using it for the purposes of performance enhancement.

With that in mind, Peterson should promptly be stripped of his WBA and IBF titles, and his fight against Khan should be cancelled or, at the very least, postponed.

The prevailing thought is that sports like boxing are overrun by the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs, and whether that's a fair assessment or not, something has to be done to prove that people are committed to keeping the sport clean. As unfortunate as it may be for boxing fans, that includes punishing Peterson and calling off his next fight.

It simply wouldn't be fair to make Khan face Peterson when Peterson had illegal substances in his body just a couple months ago. He could very well have been using that testosterone to help him train for their rematch, and that already gives Peterson an unfair advantage before the fight ever takes place.

A warning shot needs to be fired so that every boxer can hear it, and that means hitting Peterson where it hurts.

The fairest way to go about things would be to strip him of his belts, give him a brief suspension and then set up a tournament to take place several months from now in order to crown a new champion.

That tournament could certainly include Peterson and Khan on opposite ends of the bracket so they can be on a collision course for a rematch, but it would make Peterson start from square one at the very least. It simply wouldn't be fair for Peterson to go into his May 19 bout as champion and with no repercussions coming his way.

In a way, it could be said that nixing the fight would be punishing Khan unfairly. However, I have to believe that he wants everything to be on the up and up the next time he steps into the ring with Peterson. 

A lot of people were looking forward to this fight, and perhaps it can still happen down the line, but there is just too much uncertainty to allow it to take place as scheduled. If Peterson wins, then there are going to be questions about whether he did it organically or with the help of performance-enhancing drugs, and no boxing fan wants to deal with that dilemma.

Unless an investigation unveils that there was good reason for the increased testosterone levels in Peterson's body in March, his titles should become vacant immediately. If the boxing commission doesn't take that type of firm stance, then it will simply be viewed as a joke.