Take a look back at some of the most memorable nights in the extraordinary career of two-division World Champion Lamont Peterson.
Lamont Peterson’s amazing journey through boxing came to an end on Sunday, March 24th. The former two-division world champion announced his retirement after suffering a 10th-round TKO loss to former world super lightweight champion Sergey Lipinets.
Over the years, Peterson (35-5-1, 17 KOs) thrilled fans with his throwback skillset and willingness to stand and fire in the face of the adversity. The latter has been his calling card in boxing—and in life. Fight fans saw those attributes in nearly all of his bouts. Here are five of those most memorable moments.
5 Danny Garcia
Date: April 11, 2015
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
At stake: No title
Records at the time: Peterson 33-2-1, Garcia 29-0
Result: Garcia MD 12
Significance: Garcia remained undefeated when it was all said and done, but there were no real losers on this night. Peterson and Garcia, both world super lightweight champions, met at a 143-pound catchweight in front of a raucous crowd of 12,300 at Barclays Center.
Peterson boxed and moved during the first half of the bout. Garcia was the aggressor, although he struggled to land cleanly. As the fight progressed, Peterson slowly took over. He began standing his ground, punishing Garcia with power punches to the head and body.
The final two frames were particularly one-sided. Two judges gave Peterson four of the last five rounds, and one gave Peterson all five. The end result was a disputed 12-round majority decision for Garcia.
4. Victor Manuel Cayo
Date: July 29, 2011
Location: Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas
At stake: No title
Records at the time: Peterson 28-1-1, Cayo 26-1
Result: Peterson KO 12
Significance: Peterson took on Cayo in an IBF 140-pound world title eliminator. Both men were hungry for the belt and it showed. Cayo used his boxing skills and hand speed to pepper Peterson with punches. But Lamont was in peak form, showing off every tool in the arsenal as he clinically dismantled the wily Dominican, round by round.
Unsatisfied with a decision win, Peterson closed the show in the 12th like a boss. A series of well-placed power shots to the head and body drove Cayo to the canvas. He was unable to rise before referee Kenny Bayless reached the 10-count.
3. Kendall Holt
Date: February 22, 2013
Location: D.C. Armory, Washington, D.C.
At stake: IBF World Super Lightweight title
Records at the time: Peterson 30-1-1, Holt 28-5
Result: Peterson TKO 8
Significance: Peterson’s slow start against Holt might be attributable to a 14-month layoff after winning the world title. But once he got going, he simply steamrolled Holt in front of a partisan crowd at the DC Armory.
Following an uneventful first three rounds, Peterson came alive in the fourth. A hard right upstairs dropped Holt. Peterson poured it on in search of the finish but was halted by the bell.
Peterson would drop Holt again in the sixth after landing 17 consecutive punches. The domination continued until referee Tony Weeks mercifully stepped in at 1:42 of the eighth.
2. David Avanesyan
Date: February 18, 2017
Location: Cintas Center, Cincinnati
At stake: WBA World Welterweight title
Records at the time: Peterson 34-3-1, Avanesyan 22-1-1
Result: Peterson UD 12
Significance: Russia’s Avanesyan was coming off a decisive victory over a faded Shane Mosley. He was completely out of his depth against Peterson who, in his first world title shot at welterweight, put on a show.
As is his practice, Peterson started off boxing from the outside, using his jab and footwork to outslick Avanesyan. As the points—and the punishment—began to pile up, Peterson transformed from boxer to brawler. He stalked Avanesyan, maneuvering him to the ropes where he worked him over with punishing shots to the ribs. Avanesyan managed to stay on his feet but paid dearly for it. Peterson became a two-division world champion via unanimous decision.
1. Amir Khan
Date: December 10, 2011
Location: Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
At stake: WBA & IBF World Super Lightweight titles
Records at the time: Peterson 29-1-1, Khan 26-1
Result: Peterson SD 12
Significance: This was supposed to be another notch in Amir Khan’s belt en route to his dream bout versus Floyd Mayweather. But on this night, Peterson lived up to his moniker, wreaking “Havoc” on those plans. And he did it in fitting fashion, in front of a pro-Peterson crowd of 8.647 at the D.C. Convention Center.
Khan did his best to silence those supporters, dropping Peterson with a right hand in the first round. The 2004 Olympic British silver medalist used his blazing hand speed to maintain the momentum during the early going.
Peterson slowly worked his way into the bout and, by the middle rounds, had turned the match into a rough and tumble battle. Khan struggled to deal with his opponent’s superior strength and unbending pressure. He was deducted two points, one in the seventh and the other in the 12th, for pushing off.
Peterson dominated the latter part of the fight, eking out a split decision to win the WBA and IBF world super lightweight titles.
"It was a long road," Peterson said afterward. "All the hard work paid off."
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