Washington: British light-welterweight Amir Khan (26-1, 18 knockouts) will face Lamont Peterson (29-1-1, 15 knockouts) for the IBF and WBA light welterweight titles on Saturday night at the Convention Center in Washington D.C.
Amir Khan is really confident to defend his title against the Peterson.
Khan, the birthday boy is so focused on his clash with Lamont Peterson he forgot an important date – his 25th birthday said that “the home crowd is a lot of pressure,”, said this week of his sixth title defense. “He might crack. I think he’ll fight with his heart and all his dreams will go out the window.
“I made the same mistake before.”
Khan suffered his only loss when Breidis Prescott knocked him out in 2008 in the first round of their bout in Manchester, England, near Khan’s hometown of Bolton.
On the other hand his competitor Peterson, 27, has lost only to unbeaten World Boxing Organization junior-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, in a December 2009 fight in Rancho Mirage.
The fighters weighed in Friday, with Khan weighing 139 pounds to Peterson’s 140.
Khan, trained by Freddie Roach at Hollywood’s Wild Card Boxing Club, said he aims to become the first man to knock out Peterson.
A year later, Peterson rallied to outbox Ventura’s Victor Ortiz and gain a draw against the former world welterweight champion.
“I’m confident I can outbox anyone,” Khan said. “He’s going to think he needs to do that to win, but I promise you, he can’t outbox me. I’m taller, stronger, faster and have a lot more ring smarts. If he gets hurt, I’m going to finish him off.
“I know I can’t look bad here. I have to win convincingly.”
Khan envisions a next fight against either Bradley or World Boxing Council junior-welterweight champion Erik Morales, followed by a bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in late 2012.
First, there is the task of broadening his global appeal Saturday.
Khan said he enjoyed touring Washington’s monuments and landmarks earlier in the week.
“I have lots of fans here, a lot of different nationalities, and a lot of them are coming to the fight,” Khan said. “I might surprise Peterson when he sees the number.”
