Britain's Amir Khan wants to bring boxing back to the U.S. capital.
On Dec. 10, the junior welterweight champion will fight top challenger and D.C. native Lamont Peterson inside the city's convention center. It's Washington's first fight since former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson lost to Kevin McBride in 2005.
It will be Khan's first bout since he improved to 26-1 with a fifth-round knockout of Zab Judah on July 23 that unified the WBA and IBF titles. He agreed to fight Peterson in Washington after enjoying a previous visit to the city that included a Sept. 10 White House dinner.
''We want to bring boxing back to Washington and maybe this will be the first of many fights here,'' said Khan, who turns 25 just two days before the fight. ''These kinds of fights take me to the next level.''
That level would include a hoped-for showdown with welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather. For now, Khan will focus on Peterson, who is 29-1-1 with 15 knockouts, his last fight being a 12th round knockout of Victor Cayo on July 29.
''It's a dream come true for me,'' said Peterson. ''I dreamed about this day many, many times attending the big fights at the Verizon Center. I would go ... back to the gym and just wish that one day I would get my opportunity.''
Peterson's brother, Anthony, will also get the chance to fight on the undercard along with Washington's Dusty Harrison and Seth ''Mayhem'' Mitchell, the Michigan State middle linebacker who turned top heavyweight contender. The 29-year-old native of nearby Brandywine, Maryland, whose opponent has yet to be determined, is 23-0-1 with 17 knockouts.
