IBF review of Peterson's record may end Friday

IBF President Daryl Peoples told RingTV.com on Thursday that his organization expects to render a verdict on Friday concerning whether or not to strip Lamont Peterson of the junior welterweight belt he won by split-decision from Amir Khan in December.

The move would come after review of Peterson's medical records by organization-appointed doctors in the wake of the fighter's failed drug test in March. Peoples said the process of examining Peterson-Khan began after having received Peterson's medical records last week.

"We should be able to tell you something tomorrow," said Peoples. "Our doctors have everything that they're going to need to look at, but there is one more piece of information."

Peterson (30-1-1, 15 knockouts) has been all but stripped of the WBA's belt, which he also took from Khan (26-3, 18 KOs), in the wake of the positive test for the banned substance testosterone that forced the cancelation of a scheduled May 19 rematch with Khan.

Peterson has been declared the WBA's "champion in recess," a move that appears to allow room for him to contend for that title. Khan was re-instated as the WBA's beltholder, and Peterson named its "champion in recess," four days prior to Khan's fourth-round knockout loss to WBC titleholder Danny Garcia (24-0, 15 KOs) that was also for THE RING championship on July 14.

Peterson's legal counsel has also asked for a postponement to August of its originally scheduled July 9 meeting with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, whose executive director, Keith Kizer, received the request from one of Peterson's lawyers, Peter Bernard, on June 27.

Peterson and Khan contractually agreed to have their blood and urine randomly tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), whose president and founder, Margaret Goodman, informed Kizer that Peterson's "urine specimen ... was collected on March 19" and that its test results were "consistent with the administration of an anabolic steroid such as testosterone."

In an interview with RingTV.com, Peterson said that he passed the pre-fight urine test conducted by the Washington D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Athletic Commission before facing Khan. D.C. commission director, Scottie Irving, has maintained that he has no official comment.

Peterson admitted to using testosterone in November prior to facing Khan, claiming it was for medical reasons. Peterson had a "testosterone pellet" surgically implanted into his hip by Las Vegas-based Dr. John Thompson on Nov. 12 of last year after he was diagnosed with an abnormally testosterone level.

Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com