Khan-Peterson preview

WBA/IBF light welterweight champion (l) poses with challenger Lamont Peterson to promote their title fight tomorrow night. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

TOMORROW night on HBO Championship Boxing Amir Khan 26-1 (18) will defend his WBA Super World light welterweight and IBF World light welterweight titles against Lamont Peterson 29-1-1 (15). The bout is the main event of Capitol Showdown which will take place in the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C., also Peterson’s hometown. Khan’s only loss came at the hands of Breidis Prescott 24-4 (19) in the first round of their 2008 lightweight battle. Since then he has won 8 straight bouts (4 by ko). Under the tutelage of world-class trainer Freddie Roach, Khan seems to improve with every outing. His 12-round war with Argentina’s hard punching Marcos Maidana 31-2 (28) last year may have also answered some questions about his chin. He looks to beat Peterson impressively as he plans to move up to 147 pounds to face Pound-For-Pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. 42-0 (26) in the near future. Tomorrow will be the fight of Lamont Peterson’s career at this point. He has been in one other world championship fight, a decision loss to WBO champion Timothy Bradley back in 2009, but in this fight he has the chance to win two titles, and do it in the place where he grew up. Almost exactly a year ago, Peterson survived 2 3rd round knock downs and fought his way back to draw even with current welterweight Victor Ortiz 29-3-2 (22) to earn a spot in an IBF title eliminator. In July he scored a 12th-round knockout over Victor Cayo 27-2 (19) to become the mandatory challenger for Khan’s IBF title. .
 
The fight figures to be a good one as both men match up pretty well. They are comparable in size, although Peterson will enjoy a 3 inch reach advantage. Both are also fast and very athletic. Peterson likes to mix it up on the inside, while Khan likes to box from the outside and keep out of range after he punches in flurries. As we all know styles make fights, so whoever is able to impose his will and style is likely to come out on top.
 
In the other televised bout of the evening, undefeated heavyweight and former Michigan St. standout linebacker Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell 23-0-1 (17) will face Timur Ibragimov 30-3-1 (16) of Uzbekistan. Mitchell, of Brandywine, MD, made the switch from football to boxing in 2008 and has become one of the few American heavyweights that bring excitement into the division, and a win tomorrow could mean big things for him in 2012 or 2013. He is riding an 8-fight knockout streak, hoping to make his opponent the 4th of 2011. Ibragimov enters the bout coming off a 12-round split decision loss to former cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck 36-4 (22) (who faces Wladimir Klitschko for his heavyweight titles in March).
 
The card will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The televised portion will air live on HBO Championship Boxing at 9:45 pm ET.

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