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Philippines, 27 Nov 2024 |
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LAMONT PETERSON'S STORY OF TRIUMPH: YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS SCRIPT EVEN IF YOU WANT TO! PhilBoxing.com Thu, 15 Dec 2011  If we knew his past, the odds of Lamont Peterson being a world champion and earning a six figure paycheck last Saturday night in his home town are extremely slim. Because more than seventeen years ago, the now junior lightweight champion of the world is not even guaranteed to make it past his 16th birthday. He is either expected to be in jail or buried and forgotten in a cemetery in DC. Because Lamont at a tender age of seven, where boys are supposed to be playing video games and Legos is with his younger brother Anthony, literally hustling the streets of the nation's capital. With their father in prison and a non-existent mother at that time, the Peterson brothers did what they have to do to survive at that young age. Even if surviving means doing things in the not so right of ways. They washed windows of cars at street intersections, begged in the cold streets of DC, picked pockets and even was reported as having to cut cocaine for crack dealers. All before he was 10 and Anthony was 9. They have learned to navigate DC's mean streets, taken cared of each other and survived on a day do day basis. Then comes, Barry Hunter, a local boxing trainer who introduced them to the sport, mentored them in the ring and guided them in life in general. And that guidance, that mentoring, all that tutoring in and out of the ring for Hunter and the Peterson brothers came to fruition last Saturday night in no less than in the city that has seen their worse and now has witnessed his triumph. His opponent, Amir Khan, an Olympian from Bolton, England came here with the objective of building a larger fan base outside of his country. This was an expected walk in the park for Khan, who with a win will not only have dominated the division as he has taken all of it's mandated challengers but also be this year's front runner for the prestigious Fighter of the Year honors. This was to Khan, like most who came here to see the historical monuments and numerous museums this great city has to offer, a scheduled excursion. A fight that is suppose to be his strongest statement of the year in a year that has seen his stock rise in the sport. A fight in a foreign territory, an ocean apart from his native country, and in the very house of his foe. But one that is calculated by his handlers, matched well by his matchmakers and for him to dominate. Supposedly. Just like the odds that he faced as a homeless child, the odds are against Lamont going to this fight with Khan. He is a 7-1 or even an 8-1 underdog to the fast and fiery champion. A fighter who is considered to be good but not great by most observers of the sport. A fighter who will make for good fights against the best but not necessarily be favored to win it. Even if his career is only seven years young, an impression was made of him already as a fighter. A big difference to Khan, who has all the anointing as the top Junior Welterweight of the world and possibly more to accomplish in the bigger divisions in the future. One whose ambition to be the best has brought him here to Peterson's turf for what is supposed to be a scheduled mark in his bright resume as he plans for bigger things in the future. But Lamont, just like when he was a street-smart kid who knows the importance of defending his own territory has other plans for the visiting Brit. In any street, in any urban jungle of this country, you do not give up your territory without a fight. Not just a fight, but a good one. Your reputation defends on it. Your credibility depends on it. Your life depends on it. And that is what Lamont did. Despite being dominated early in the fight, one that saw him getting knocked down. The now 27 year old challenger picked up his pace in the succeeding rounds and stood his ground against Khan. Khan pressed him early, raining punches like an armada of British ships firing cannons on Peterson but Peterson took it and retaliated, firing his own brand of artillery like a Union soldier of the Civil War. His punches resonated like a "Napoleon" cannon bomb in the sold out Walter E. Washington Convention Center that night. One that is filled with Peterson's family, friends, fans and supporters who came expecting that their home town athlete beat the odds in front of him. While Khan's punches were flashy and fast, Peterson were the ones that will make you exclaim "Oohhs and Aahhs" as you watch him make his stand in the ring. While Khan may have the better athletic talent and lateral movements, Peterson was no doubt the aggressor of the two as the fight ensued. He fought in a single mode that night, coming forward. And Khan, retreated like General Lee's army in the Battle of Gettysburg. But Khan also stood his ground, despite being on the receiving end of vicious shots that emanated from the local kid. His superb conditioning was vital that night as he dodged, received and evaded Peterson's onslaught. Unlike Peterson, he did not taste the canvas of the ring that night even under heavy fire from Peterson's uppercuts and thundering hooks. He was a champion under duress and he responded with what he has learned in camp and training. In the end, it makes for one of the year's best match in the squared ring. But despite of the controversy with the referee being too involved in the match. Despite the closeness of the fight and the proximity of scores in the judges cards. Despite the protesting of Khan's team led by his promoter, Oscar Dela Hoya himself. Despite the innuendos of favoritism by the losing team. This was a night for that 10 year old boy who wandered the streets in the cold of winter looking for a decent spot to sleep for him and his younger brother. This was a night of victory for that street kid who slept in abandoned cars and cold chairs of bus stations. This was a night of triumph for that boy who no one gave a chance to even get past his 16th birthday. The controversies surrounding the fight will be forgotten but not the story of redemption, of rehabilitation and of victory by this homeless little boy who made it good in his life, in his town, in his turf. If that does not inspire you to follow boxing, I don't know what will. Please email Rich Mazon at rrmaze24@aol.com for any reactions regarding this piece. Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author. Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources. |
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