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Amir Khan was supposed to be boxing's next superstar. He had rebounded from a devastating knockout loss early in his career to come back, started training under the well-respected Freddie Roach and began as a sparring partner and teammate of Manny Pacquiao.
He also started winning fights and even went above and beyond the call to make a unification fight with Timothy Bradley. Bradley turned down a career high payday to face Khan and it helped solidify the former British Olympian's fanbase.
He even teamed up with the biggest promoter in Golden Boy Promotions.
It seemed like Khan was going to be the foreign import version of Oscar De La Hoya. After Saturday night, in the blink of an eye, it might have gone up in smoke.
In Washington, D.C. this past Saturday, Khan faced hometown hero Lamont Peterson in what was supposed to be a final run at 140 before he moved north seven pounds to welterweight. Instead, it ended in a split-decision loss.
Some can argue that referee Joseph Cooper might have cost Khan the match. Cooper deducted points from Khan in the seventh and 12th rounds for excessive pushing and it cost Khan the victory, as the final scores were 115-110, 112-113 and 112-114.
If Khan hadn't been penalized he would still be champ. Some believe that the infractions were not necessary and that Khan technically was the winner. In the end, the loss seems only to be on paper.
The only problem is that in boxing, losses affect fighters whether they seem to have deserved them or not, and in truth, the fight was very close.
It doesn't hurt Khan that the fight was exciting and worth watching. Being a fan-friendly fighter goes a long way in making boxing fanatics forget about losses. Arturo Gatti is a great example.
But if Golden Boy Promotions wants to turn him into a pay-per-view attraction, he can't lose that often. Since that now seems to be the final destination for every promotional company, the question is: can they still turn Khan into that kind of an attraction?
He has all of the factors in place that should get him there. Now he just needs to take the route that will fix any diminished worth that the loss might have brought. An instant rematch against Peterson would do the job. There is only one catch.
It should take place in the UK.
The fact that Khan went into Peterson's hometown and lost a decision that might have gone his way is something that is going to stick in fans' minds, but only until their next respective fights. Having Peterson do Khan the same favor will not only lead to another big gate for live attendance, but it will soothe over fans and media who might have been irked by the decision.
And if the rematch doesn't happen for Khan?
He shouldn't fight at light welterweight again.
He should immediately move up to welterweight and remove the stigma of the loss to Peterson. In that new weight class, he would need to take a quick match to wash away the loss and start fans talking about the different kinds of fights he could have at that weight.
No matter what angle it could be looked at, Khan still has what it takes to be a boxing superstar. He just needs to move fast.
