Lamont Peterson insists he will not freeze under the pressure when he faces Amir Khan for the WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles.
Challenger to Khan's titles says he now knows how to handle pressure
Lamont Peterson insists he will not freeze under the pressure when he challenges Amir Khan for the WBA and IBF light-welterweight world titles on Saturday.
The Washington DC native will be fighting in front of a home-town crowd but is still a big underdog heading into the bout.
Peterson has fallen short in his two biggest tests to date, losing a wide points decision to WBO light-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley in 2009 before drawing with Victor Ortiz last year.
But the 27-year-old claims he now has the temperament to handle the big occasion after getting too caught up in the moment on previous occasions.
"I've been getting more comfortable at that elite level by just fighting in these big fights, in world level fights and by just being more confident about doing what I know I can do," he said.
"The experience of going into big fights, with people who have already been fighting in big fights, my mind is racing.
"I want to be perfect. I want to do everything right and I seem to overdo a lot of things instead of just being me.
Comfortable
"At this point, though, I feel comfortable enough to be me. I think that'll be a big difference in the fight and I think it'll be the key to victory."
And Khan believes that Peterson will pose a serious threat despite his lack of a big-name scalp, even claiming that the American will be a tougher test than his summer showdown with Zab Judah.
Khan said: "I definitely think this will be a tougher fight for me than Zab Judah was.
"At the end of the day you have to remember that while Peterson might not be one of the biggest names, he's one of the most dangerous opponents in the division.
"He's been in the top 10 for a long, long time. He's had some big fights and has only lost once, against Timothy Bradley - and that was on points - and he drew against Victor Ortiz.
"He's the number one contender for my IBF title. It just shows that he's a tough character and he'll be up for this fight because it's a massive opportunity for him.
"But me and my trainer Freddie Roach know what to do.
"We're fighting in his home city which will give him more motivation and more confidence against me and we know he's tough so we can't take this easy. I take every fight seriously and that includes this one."
