For the first time, the youths from the District are headed to Belfast as part of an exchange many years in the making, and they received words of encouragement from Peterson, who beat Amir Khan on Dec. 10 via a split decision in a 12-round main event at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Khan?s camp has appealed the result to the WBA and IBF, citing improprieties in judging and refereeing. Referee Joe Cooper deducted two points from Khan for pushing, and they proved decisive in the fight that came down to a razor-thin margin.
Khan went to Twitter on Thursday to post pictures of a man he contends did not belong ringside and was, Khan suggested, interfering with the judging.
?I?m tired of it,? said Peterson, who attended the Belfast Beltway event at a restaurant on Dupont Circle with his younger brother Anthony, who won his undercard bout on Dec. 10. ?That?s his energy being wasted. I?m at the point where I?m like, ?Forget it.? I know the hearing?s coming up. Whatever they decide, they decide. I?m not going to sit and cry about anything. I?m happy with my performance. I believe I won the fight.?
Khan?s camp is scheduled to appear in New York later this month for the appeal to the IBF. Khan and his team have said they want the decision overturned or at least an immediate rematch.
