LONDON - Amir Khan’s promoter said on Saturday the WBA had informed him it will order a rematch with American Lamont Peterson following the British boxer’s controversial defeat on a split decision in their world title fight in Washington last month.
Khan, who lost his WBA super-lightweight and IBF light-welterweight crowns, had questioned the appearance of a mystery man at ringside with the 25-year-old’s camp accusing him of ‘interfering’ with the scorecards belonging to the judges.
“We have been informed today by the WBA that they will order a rematch,” Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer told Sky Sports News. He also said the unidentified man was an IBF official named Mustafa Ameen.
The WBA was not immediately available to comment but its vice-president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza said Friday there should be a rematch. “You have to guarantee fairness, you have to guarantee that no one who isn’t directly involved can sit at the table,” said Mendoza.
Khan posted a number of messages on Twitter Thursday and highlighted footage from the fight in which a man in a black hat can be seen next to WBA supervisor Michael Welsh.
The man then appears to reach across in front of Welsh. The British boxer’s camp alleges that it was at this point that the man interfered with the scorecards.