• Amir Khan v Lamont Peterson

Khan hopeful of getting belts back

Amir Khan is hopeful he will soon be reunited with his belts © Getty Images

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• Profile: Amir Khan

Amir Khan is hopeful he will see his WBO and IBF light-welterweight titles restored following Lamont Peterson's failed drugs test.

After losing his belts to Peterson at the end of 2011, Khan was hoping to reclaim the two titles in a rematch with the American on May 19 - before the discovery that Peterson had failed a drugs test forced the contest to be cancelled on Thursday.

While Peterson - who has been stripped of the crowns - is now locked in a fight to try and prove the failed test was not as a result of wrong-doing, Khan is now hopeful of getting the belts he lost returned to him before his next fight.

"I want those titles back," said Khan. "I'm hurt by what has happened. He has said he was taking a banned substance before we fought.

"That has proved that he is a cheat and was cheating when we fought each other in December.

"Now the Nevada Commission have taken the licence off Lamont Peterson. So I think they will put the titles on the line whoever I fight next.

"Otherwise, our last fight could be declared a no-contest and we might get the titles back."

Richard Schaefer, chief executive of fight promoters Golden Boy, is confident both governing bodies will opt to give Khan the titles back - with Peterson having reportedly acknowledged that he was taking the substance that caused the failed test even before the first meeting with Khan.

"They have admitted that this procedure was taking place before the first fight," Schaefer said. "Now we are obviously going to ask the sanctioning organisations, the WBA and IBF, to rule this fight a no-contest.

"That would therefore give back the belts to Amir Khan - where they belong. I do hope the boxing organisations are going to do the right thing."

Regardless of the outcome, Khan is hoping to fight at the end of June as he looks towards his next challenge. If the belts are restored to him, a unification fight against WBC champion Danny Garcia could be in the offing.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.