WASHINGTON Amir Khan's camp said on Sunday that the British boxer plans an inquiry with sanctioners over the performance of referee Joe Cooper and ringside judges after his controversial loss to Lamont Peterson.
Khan said after Saturday's majority decision defeat in Washington that he felt robbed of a rightful triumph and has put his plans to move up to the welterweight ranks on hold until he can fight a rematch against the American.
Hometown hero Peterson, once a homeless youth on the streets of Washington, edged Britain's Khan by majority decision on Saturday to take the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association light-welterweight crowns.
Referee Joe Cooper deducted points from Khan for pushing in the seventh and 12th rounds and those proved the difference in a fight where two judges saw Peterson a 113-112 winner and the third gave it to Khan 115-100.
"It was like I was in there against two people, the referee and Lamont," Khan said.
"I had to push him away because he was coming in so low with his head. There was nothing I could do. It was either push him away or get head-butted."
On Sunday, Team Khan and Golden Boy Promotions issued a statement in which they outlined plans to challenge the verdict in the US capital, seldom a scene for world title bouts.
"Team Kahn and Golden Boy Promotions intend to make inquiries with the District of Columbia Boxing and Wrestling Commission, the IBF and the WBA regarding the performance of referee Joseph Cooper and will also be seeking clarification regarding certain ambiguities with respect to the scores of the fight," the promoters said.
The result took longer than normal after the final round to announce and when it was finally uttered, the score from the judge who favored Khan was not that which appeared on the judge's scorecard.
"I can see why there hasn't been a big fight in Washington in the last 20 years, because of decisions like this," Khan said.
The major complaint will be over Cooper's decision to take points from Khan. There was a warning in the seventh and when Khan used his right forearm to shove back Peterson at the end of the round, Cooper took a point.
That call was a rarity in itself. But then Khan was called for a pushing foul again 70 seconds into the final round in what turned out to be the deciding moment of the fight.
All three judges scored the 12th round for Khan and had Khan received full points for the round, the fight would have been a majority draw and Khan would have retained his titles.
Instead, the focus became Cooper and an electrifying bout was overshadowed by its tainted outcome and the rematch both fighters want early in 2012.
"I would definitely give him a rematch," Peterson said. "Why not? He gave me a chance."
Khan replied, "I'm ready for a rematch. The sooner the better. I'm staying at 140 (pounds) for one more fight because I want this rematch. I want it straight away. I want my two titles back.
"I know I won that fight and I think everybody else knows I won it too."
Khan challenged Peterson to fight him in England but said at the very least he wants a venue more familiar with major fights such as Las Vegas.
"Sometimes you get these bad decisions," Khan said. "You come back stronger."
