Peterson Wants To Unify The Jr. Welterweight Titles

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     Current IBF world light-welterweight champion Lamont Peterson said something in a recent interview with Nestor Gibbs of ThaBoxingVoice.com while speaking in reference to a possible unification match with current WBC, WBA (Super), and The Ring light-welterweight champion Danny Garcia. I absolutely LOVE to hear a current world champion say, “There’s too many titles out here and somebody need to be holding all of em.”

     I have a strong appreciation for champions with this type of mentality because too often as a boxing fan I have seen “champions” avoid challenges from certain fighters (usually other champions but just as often deserving contenders are also avoided) in order to falsely elongate their reign, and/or set up big money fights. Though I’m not knocking anyone’s hustle, I must say that it becomes increasingly difficult to respect those who prosper off consciously holding the next man back. Maybe it’s just me but as the great Floyd Mayweather Jr. continues to prove fight after fight.

    Respect is just as, if not even more valuable at the boxing box office than “love” is. For example, look at Mayweather’s upcoming fight with Marcos Maidana. Floyd was originally slated to fight Amir Khan a fighter who in the eyes of many is a far more popular fighter than Maidana. But I doubt anyone would disagree that despite his “popularity” a fight with Khan would not generate the same kind of revenue that the Maidana fight will, and why? Simply because in the eyes of fans Maidana has earned his shot where Khan has not, which brings me back to Lamont Peterson.

    Though Peterson has had some recent setbacks his overall resume is very impressive and he is still the current IBF champion. He also looked fantastic in his last fight handing the first loss to the very tough and then undefeated Dierry Jean. So if current 140lb king Danny Garcia who is a man of respect does plan to stay at 140 for one more fight, let’s hope that last fight is unification with Peterson. It makes sense both financially and as the next logical step in the careers of both fighters.