• Light-welterweight

I'm no cheat, pellets didn't alter performance - Peterson

Lamont Peterson failed a drug test ahead of a planned second meeting with Amir Khan © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Khan: Peterson should be banned for life
  
• News: Khan expects Garcia fight to be a unification bout
  
• News: Khan v Garcia confirmed for July 14
  
• News: Khan v Garcia talks faltering
  
• Features: Peterson drama quickens Khan's route to Mayweather
  
• News: Khan hopeful of getting belts back
  
• News: 'Shocked' Khan labels Peterson a 'cheat'
  
• News: Khan's fight with Peterson called off
  
• News: Peterson branded 'laughable' by Golden Boy chief
  
• Profile: Amir Khan

Lamont Peterson insists he opted to make use of testosterone pellets before fighting Amir Khan because he feared the effects on his health if he did not - and he claims the pellets made no difference to the quality of his performance.

Peterson defeated Khan in December 2011 to win the WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles, and they were on course to meet again on May 19 until Peterson tested positive for a banned substance and the bout was cancelled.

Peterson admits using synthetic testosterone in November 2011, hence the failed drug test taken in March 2012, but says he did so for medical reasons.

"I saw on YouTube, they do the procedure and they show you everything, the doctor talks you through the procedure and what he's doing. I was convinced it was safe, it was not a PED [performance-enhancing drug]," Peterson told the BBC. "I did not know [it was illegal], not at all.

"It's a mistake. I was a bit naïve. I can honestly say I've made a mistake - but at the end of the day, I think it's wrong for anyone to call me a cheat. For me, when people say [I'm a cheat], I'm not bothered at all. I don't get mad at anyone. I can apologise for it, and try to move on with my career."

Asked if he gained any advantage from using the pellets prior to the Khan fight, Peterson said: "No. At the end of the day, I did the procedure. It wasn't given to me to enhance my performance, I wasn't expecting it to enhance my performance - and it definitely did not enhance my performance.

"I felt exactly the same [after training]: still dizzy, still fatigued. I still felt the same having done the procedure. At that point, the reason for me doing the procedure is … Once they start talking about the health risk of having low testosterone, that was my ultimate decision for doing the procedure.

"At the end of the day, my health means more to me. It has nothing to do with me trying to gain an advantage to beat Khan.

"People are going to believe what they want to believe. I don't expect everyone to believe me, because a lot of people don't know the whole story."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.