Khan vs Peterson: WBA Will Order Rematch Next Week

Richard Schaefer has confirmed that the WBA will order a rematch between Amir Khan and Lamont Peterson next week, and the IBF could follow suit on January 18. Schaefer is also hoping the DC commission will change the result of the fight to a no-contest, but that may not be as likely:

"We received verbal confirmation today and we will get written confirmation by next Tuesday. That means that no fighter can take an interim fight, that the next fight for Peterson would be a re-match.

"We hope that the IBF will follow because that's the least they can do. The ruling of the WBA to order an immediate re-match should put additional pressures on the IBF."

He is also hopeful that the outcome of the fight will be changed to "no contest", allowing Khan to retain his belts, but said: "It's difficult to guess the no-contest ruling. I certainly hope this could happen."

You know, no matter how you choose to look at it, this is an enormous mess and just another eye-rolling boxing situation.

• If you think Khan and Golden Boy have been annoying here, you still kind of have to agree that so much has been an issue that the rematch is probably deserved and should be ordered. We applauded the IBF for ordering a rematch between Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares. This is not that dissimilar a situation, really.
  
• If you think there are some obvious issues, then of course the rematch makes sense.

But what sucks most about this is the fact that many, including the oddsmakers, seemed to believe this was going to be another gimme exhibition for a star fighter. Turned out it was a good, competitive fight. And yet instead of celebrating a good fight, a big upset, and the fact that sure, a rematch would be great, because the first fight was really damn good, we're mired in this controversy crap yet again, part of which is coming off extremely poorly on the Khan/Golden Boy side, but part of which is perfectly understandable. There are too many issues combining here to keep ignoring that they probably should be given the rematch, whatever your personal opinion of Khan may be.

So I'm going to try to choose to look at the bright side: It's a fight I really do want to see again. If Peterson can't get Pacquiao, and he's got to be choice No. 4 there, then this is still a good payday for Lamont, another big fight for him, and a chance to prove it was no fluke.

Khan is currently scheduled to return in the UK for his next fight, but Peterson may be unwilling to go overseas for a fight. If he does not, expect the fight in Los Angeles at Staples Center, or in Las Vegas.