• Amir Khan v Lamont Peterson

Khan surrenders titles after Washington war

Lamont Peterson gave and received plenty of punishment in a brutal fight © Getty Images

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Amir Khan's dreams of boxing superstardom are in tatters after he lost his WBA and IBF light-welterweight titles to Lamont Peterson on a split points decision.

Khan had Peterson down in the first round, but failed to capitalise on that stirring start and was eventually drawn into a brawl in which Peterson hit him easily and often. Khan failed to use his speed to get himself out of the line of fire as Peterson put him under relentless pressure.

In front of his hometown fans, Peterson was awarded the fight 113-112 by two of the judges, while the other had it 115-110 in Khan's favour. The Brit is left to rue referee Joe Cooper's decision to take two points off him for pushing.

Promoter Oscar de la Hoya said in the build-up to the fight that Khan had the ability to be crowned the planet's pound-for-pound king - but on the night he was too loose and made too many errors to justify such expectations. Khan's hopes of moving up to welterweight and fighting Floyd Mayweather Jnr in late 2012 look a long way off.

He now has a 26-2 record - the other defeat coming against Breidis Prescott in 2008 - while Peterson, a world champion for the first time, moves to 30-1-1.

Khan had Peterson on the canvas twice in the first - but, although both falls seemed to have been prompted by punches, only one was judged a legitimate knockdown. In round two Peterson, renowned for his durability, recovered and got into his rhythm, stalking Khan and cutting off the ring.

Peterson took control in a dramatic third, landing a right to the head and left to the body that left Khan's legs wobbling under him. The defending champion boxed fluently in flurries across the middle sessions - yet Peterson kept forcing him against the ropes, and getting through with heavy blows.

Khan was docked a point in the seventh for pushing - he had been warned on several occasions previously - and had to cling on to his opponent after being rocked. He again had impressive spells in the eighth and ninth, and again was forced to endure spells where he looked only a couple of flush shots away from being beaten.

The tenth and 11th were on a knife-edge, Peterson lurching forward and Khan, on the back foot, letting his hands go in brief spurts. Khan lost a point again in the 12th for pushing, a decision that ultimately proved crucial.

When the verdict was announced Peterson leapt into the air before standing still, paralysed by shock. In the town where he roamed the streets as a homeless child, he has now become a world champion.

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