If 2011 was a big year for Amir Khan, until the very end, 2012 was about to be even bigger. With Floyd Mayweather on his sights, with a move up to Welterweight, the British Fighter just needed to make it through the Lamont Peterson fight to open up a brighter, bigger and richer future. But then he lost both WBA and IBF Belts.

I’m still among those thinking Amir Khan should have been declared the winner that night in Washington D.C. He knocked down Peterson in the first round, and shouldn’t have gotten those point deduction which cost him the fight. Peterson was allowed too many times to move in with his head. But that’s old history. All the claims about the scorecard changes and getting robbed don’t matter. Khan lost, moving in for the kill way too late, and exposed himself with weaknesses for the world to see.

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Peterson kept cutting off the ring, and forced Khan to fight inside. Amir Khan loves the outside, and seemed to spend plenty of times reeling away from Lamont. Khan did land cleaner hits, but in an hostile environment, you need to show more than just throwing more clean hits. Peterson brawled his way to victory without hurting Khan too much, but it was enough in his hometown.

The moment the fight ended their was talk of a re-match. Khan wanted one of course, and Lamont Peterson said he felt he owed it to the Brit to give him one. He gave him a shot at the belts, came to Washington. Peterson seemed to appreciate it and it looked like an ideal place to already get into talks about a second fight. Not in D.C, if Khan and Freddie Roach got something out of the fight. Las Vegas sounds like a better idea.

Bernard Hopkins said before the fight what a mistake it was for Khan to go into Washington and fight, that he’s already two rounds down. Boy was he right. Timothy Bradley,the WBO Light Welterweight title, who has already beaten Lamont Peterson and yet to fight Khan, had a similar view, post-fight. He said Khan was arrogant in his decision to fight in Washington, which cost him the two belts.

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And now Peterson isn’t guaranteed to fight Khan. Despite what he said, words mean nothing in Boxing. Money talks, and pride. Peterson might be looking to fight Timothy Bradley, to prove how far he’s come since their fight two years ago. Bradley won a convincing unanimous decision. Peterson’s style hasn’t changed much, but his confidence is certainly high.

Now for Khan, it’s a waiting game. Hoping to get a shot at Peterson, hoping Timothy Bradley remains an option. Floyd Mayweather and Welterweight will have to wait. Amir Khan has a lot of fixing to do, and belts to win back, before he moves on to bigger and better.