Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that IBF/WBA 140 lb champion, Amir Khan is looking to fight on December 10th and may fight his IBF mandatory Lamont Peterson
“Dec. 10 I will be back. I’ve got a TV date with HBO and I am looking forward to it,” Khan told ESPN.com, adding that the fight would take place in the United States. “Opponents are quite hard to get. We asked about (Erik) Morales, but he said no. Bradley (titlist Timothy Bradley Jr.) has said no, just refused to fight me even though we offered him everything he wanted. I really think he just doesn’t want to fight me no matter what’s on the table.
“It’s too bad because the fans want to see it. But I know I am No. 1 in the division and that’s what most other people say also because Bradley has not been active and he just won’t fight me.”
Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions said he is negotiating for Khan to face Lamont Peterson of Washington, D.C. Peterson is one of Khan’s mandatory challengers.
“That’s the fight we are pursuing,” Schaefer said. “We are having conversations with Barry Hunter (Peterson’s trainer, manager and father figure). “They’re interested in the fight. Now we have to see if we can agree on a purse. If we can’t, I guess we will go to a purse bid, but we are working on the numbers.”
Said Khan, “I think it’s a good fight. Peterson is skillful and a good fighter. But I will leave the negotiations to Golden Boy. This will probably be my last fight (at) 140.”
“Lamont is a credible opponent. He got a draw with Ortiz, who is now fighting Mayweather,” Khan, 24, said. “Now he’s my mandatory and it would be a good fight. He wants to fight and I am willing to fight him. That’s probably the best fight for me before I move up to welterweight.”
“I know I will give him a tougher fight than Victor Ortiz will,” Khan said. “He’s never faced anyone as slick as me.”
“I love fighting in the U.S. My fan base is growing,” said Khan, who trains with Roach at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Calif. “I’d like to do another fight in New York or Las Vegas or have a fight in Los Angeles. Los Angeles would be a good place. I train there, so it would be like home for me.”
“It was good to come to Washington and meet Hillary Clinton,” Khan said. “She shook my hand and mentioned me on the podium when she was giving her speech. She called me a good role model for Muslims. That was nice to hear. She had nice words to say to me. We got to take a picture together. It was exciting.”
