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Lamont Peterson, who failed a VADA drug test for synthetic testosterone ahead of his canceled May 19 rematch with Amir Khan, will not be stripped of his IBF junior welterweight title, a ruling the sanctioning body made today, and has been ordered to face mandatory challenger Zab Judah.
Peterson defeated Khan last December to win the IBF and WBA titles. The WBA did strip Peterson of the belt and returned it to Khan just before Khan's July 14 loss to Danny Garcia, who now holds that title as well as the WBC belt.
Lem Satterfield at The RING has this from the IBF:
The International Boxing Federation has decided that Lamont Peterson will keep the organization's Junior Welterweight title, which he won from Amir Khan on December 10, 2011. The organization's decision is based on the findings reported by an independent physician, certified in internal medicine and endocrinology, retained by the IBF to review Peterson's medical records in relation to the information disclosed in the VADA report released this past May.
The physician was asked by the IBF to provide an opinion as to whether the levels of testosterone noted in the VADA report appeared to be consistent with the therapeutic use of the hormone, or for performance enhancing purposes. Additionally, the physician was asked to confer on whether these levels of testosterone would have enhanced Lamont Peterson's training for and performance during the bout on December 10, 2011, and for his training for the bout scheduled for May 19, 2012.
After concluding the review of all the documentation provided by Peterson's camp and the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the physician determined that the testosterone levels noted in the VADA report are consistent with the therapeutic use of the hormone and not for the purpose of performance enhancement. Therefore, these levels would not have enhanced Lamont Peterson's training for or performance during the bout on December 10, 2011.
Peterson (30-1-1, 15 KO) will still have to get licensed in Nevada if he wants to fight there, and a hearing with the commission has been postponed until later this month.
As for Judah, he's in line for the shot because he won an eliminator over Vernon Paris in March. The 34-year-old Judah (42-7, 29 KO) is reportedly going to be a part of 50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather's TMT Promotions.