"I'm thankful, and I'm thrilled with the IBF's decision," said Lamont Peterson when informed that the International Boxing Federation decided to allow Peterson to retain his Junior Welterweight title. Over the past few months, the Peterson camp has worked diligently to defend Lamont in the face of accusations and innuendo following the cancellation of a May fight with Amir Khan.
Throughout the process, Lamont and his team have consistently maintained that Lamont never took any actions intended to provide him with a competitive advantage. In vindicating Lamont, the independent review conducted by the IBF confirmed the Peterson camp's position. The IBF's independent physician determined that "the testosterone levels noted in the VADA report are consistent with the therapeutic use of the hormone and not for the purpose of performance enhancement."
Lamont added, "I want to thank my manager, Barry Hunter, for all of his support throughout this ordeal. There were a lot of naysayers out there, but Barry and the rest of my team never doubted me. My team fought non-stop to ensure that I was cleared."
Barry Hunter added, "I've known Lamont his whole life and always had faith in him. We were certain that when all of the details were reviewed, Lamont would be cleared and allowed to move on with a title defense and his career."
The Peterson camp will now work toward a title defense against Zab Judah, the number one contender in the IBF Junior Welterweight rankings.
Hunter offered, "We never stopped training. Lamont looks great and we're looking forward to a great fight once we work out the details with Judah and his team."
Lamont concluded, "I wanted to thank my fans for all of their support during the past few months. I'm excited to get back in the ring. I feel great and I'm ready to fight."