By Rick Reeno
The negotiations are still ongoing for a potential unification between junior welterweights Amir Khan (26-2, 18KOs) and Danny Garcia (23-0, 14KOs). Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who promotes both boxers, is hopeful that he can finalize a deal for July 7th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. HBO would televise the card.
Schaefer is currently negotiating with both sides, attempting to reach a monetary agreement that would satisfy both fighters.
“I’m having conversations with HBO, I’m having conversations with the Khans and I’m having conversations with Danny Garcia’s adviser, Al Haymon, to see if that fight can be put together. I’m working with all three parties from a monetary point of view to see if it can be done,” Schaefer told BoxingScene.com.
Money is not the only issue at hand. The IBF and the WBA have yet to make a ruling on Golden Boy’s request to recognize Khan as the champion of both organizations.
Last December, Khan lost the titles by way of a controversial twelve round split decision to Lamont Peterson. A planned May 19th rematch was canceled after Peterson, who agreed to a random drug testing protocol, tested positive for synthetic testosterone.
Peterson, through his attorney Jeff Fried, disclosed that his doctor had given him testosterone pellets in November 2011, several weeks before the initial meeting with Khan. Based on that admission, Golden Boy’s attorneys are attempting to reverse the split-decision loss to a no-contest – and they also want the IBF and WBA to strip Peterson and reinstate Khan as the champion.
“There are other issues out there, where we asked the IBF and the WBA to recognize Amir as the champion so it could be a world title unification bout,” Schaefer said.
Garcia, the WBC champion, has his own title obstacle. A mandatory defense is owed to Ajose Olusegun. If Khan reclaims his WBA and IBF titles, that obstacle can be avoided pursuant to the rules of the sanctioning body.
"The fact is, if it is a world title unification bout - that takes precedent [over a mandatory]," Schaefer said.
If a deal is reached for July 7th, undefeated heavyweight contender Seth Mitchell (25-0-1, 19KOs) would likely appear in the HBO televised co-feature, but veteran Michael Grant has been ruled out as the potential opponent.
