Khan vs. Peterson: Immediate Rematch Is Exactly What Boxing Needs

Boxing is a sport that has been on its last leg for years, but Amir Khan’s controversial loss may be the best thing the fighting game could have asked for.

While Lamont Peterson fought a wonderful fight, it was clearly a victory for  Khan, no matter how many points were deducted. Khan was robbed.

Not only did the judges add an ill-advised loss to his record, they must have looked away during the fight because I had Khan winning this fight by three points when all was said and done.

Casual fans that got sucked into this feud over the last few weeks were stunned by the outcome, just like all the die-hard fans. With people showing emotion for boxing again, the immediate rematch between Khan and Peterson will be twice the draw their first showdown was.

The Khan camp has issued a statement about the results of the fight and what the next steps are in the near future:

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Firstly, we would like to congratulate Lamont Peterson on his performance against Amir Khan. Not only has he shown that he is a tremendous fighter inside the ring, but also a great man out of the ring. Following the decision in the fight, Team Khan and Golden Boy Promotions intends to make inquiries with the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the WBA regarding the performance of referee Joseph Cooper and will also be seeking clarification regarding certain ambiguities with respect to the scores of the fight. We look forward to an immediate rematch with Lamont as confirmed by Lamont and his manager/trainer Barry Hunter.

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What boxing has been lacking is a controversial finish that results in an immediate rematch. Add the fact that it’s the 24-year-old Khan involved and it’s for the belts he feels he was robbed of makes this must-see TV.

It’s hard for people to care about boxing anymore because of the turnover rate amongst fighters. Fans want to be able to pull for someone, but when the average reign with the title is months instead of years, fans can have no allegiance.

While many people did not watch the first meeting live, the controversy of the fight and subsequent decision will boast the sales of their second meeting and even the third fight if they choose to go that route.

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