Amir Khan has claimed Lamont Peterson's failed drugs test has proved he was "a cheat".
Bolton fighter 'hurt' after title showdown is called off
Amir Khan has claimed Lamont Peterson's failed drugs test has proved he was "a cheat".
Khan was due to face Peterson in Las Vegan on May 19 - with the Bolton fighter out to avenge his controversial WBA and IBF light-welterweight defeat to American in December.
However it emerged earlier this week that Peterson had tested positive for a banned steroid.
The news cast doubt over the rematch - with Golden Boy Promotions and Khan himself officially confirming that the bout had been cancelled.
And a "disappointed" and "hurt" Khan has criticised Peterson.
Speaking to
Sky Sports, Khan said: "First of all I'm disappointed because I trained very hard for this fight.
Shock
"It was only 10 days away from the fight where my dad came knocking on my bedroom door and said to me 'look, Lamont Peterson's failed his drug test and the fight's no longer going to happen'.
"It was a big shock for me. My head was all over the place, I really, really wanted to win my titles back and have the fight. But the truth's come out now and it just proves that Lamont Peterson was a cheat really.
"It hurt me more than anything because I really did want to go in there and put on a performance and show the world how good Amir Khan is."
Asked about how he can get his belts back, Khan said: "The Nevada Commission have taken the licence off Lamont Peterson and they don't want him to fight in the next fight, so I think whoever I fight next they'll put the titles on the line or we still go through the process and we might get the titles back and the fight that we had last time will be a no-contest."
Khan is now aiming to get back in the ring this summer, adding: "I'm looking at fighting June 30. I'm in great shape now. I was looking forward to fighting next week. I'm already at the right weight and it was a tough, tough training camp.
"I was so fit and looking forward to this fight. I wanted this fight even when I heard he failed his drugs test, I did everything to get the fight on, but my parents and my team said to me 'look, at the end of the day Amir, it could be a risk to your life. It's not going to be fair to step into the ring with someone who is gonna to be on drugs and gonna be cheating'.
No-contest
"The next fight for me will be June, July. I've got a meeting with Golden Boy Promotions over the next few days and hopefully we'll set a date."
Khan's American promoter Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy, was hopeful the WBA and IBF titles the 25-year-old relinquished in Washington last December would be returned to the Bolton fighter.
Schaefer was also positive about lining up a new bout over the next couple of days.
He told
Sky Sports: "Given the fact this procedure was taking place in November - a month before his first fight with Peterson - we are obviously going to ask the sanctioning organisations, the World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation, to rule this fight a no-contest and therefore give back the belts to Amir Khan - where they belong. I do hope the boxing organisations are going to do the right thing.
"Irrespective of that, of course, I will meet with Amir tomorrow and we are going to move forward, with a new opponent and new date and possible new venue.
"We're trying to do all of that within the next 48 hours or so. Amir will be in another big fight very shortly. The date will be some time towards the end of June, early July."
