By Ivan G. Goldman
As an unlicensed gynecologist I should have known better than to believe Lamont Peterson would take a women’s fertility drug. That’s what RingTV.com alleged today before it took down the story.
The article, which attributed its information to an unnamed source, created a big stir in the boxing world, especially since Peterson had tested positive for a banned substance once before. A second bad test could have put him on a longtime suspension, jeopardized his IBF junior welterweight title, and created all sorts of other horrors, including cancellation of a title fight in May.
At first “The Bible of Boxing” said flat-out Peterson tested positive, then it said “allegedly” tested positive, then watered the allegation down further by saying maybe it was Kendall Holt that tested positive, then just removed mention of the story altogether.
Well guess what? RingTV.com is owned by Golden Boy, which last month signed Peterson to its stable. So what are we supposed to believe now? Here’s what I believe. Editor Michael Rosenthal and the other RingTV people should keep a list of Golden Boy fighters right next to their keyboards so nothing like this will ever happen again.
In fact, they should keep two lists: “Fighters We’re Paid to Say Nice Things about,” and “Fighters We’re Paid to Say Bad Things about.” I’m surprised they haven’t done that already. Does CEO Richard Schaefer have to do everything himself? This wouldn’t be the first time that Golden Boy’s allegiance to its promotional business and its allegiance to its media properties came into conflict.
The Peterson imbroglio had grabbed attention from the Robert Guerrero story. He was apparently arrested at New York’s JFK this morning for trying to take an unloaded gun onto a plane. But it’s probably not as bad as it sounds. He informed the security people he had the gun. It’s legal under certain circumstances to pack a gun into checked luggage, but carrying one into the passenger section is a no-no, and carrying a gun anywhere in New York City is illegal. The District Attorney’s Office, according to New York’s NBC News, said Guerrero had the Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handgun with him in New York City since he arrived on Monday.
Guerrero was apparently charged with four criminal counts, at least one a felony. This looks like a big hassle, to be sure, but not one that will cause the postponement of Guerrero’s superfight with Floyd Mayweather May 4 in Las Vegas. At least we hope not.
As for what truly happened in the Peterson case it’s hard to say. Let’s hope both he and Holt are innocent. Peterson is scheduled to defend his title against Lucas Matthysse May 18 in Atlantic City. Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone last year in a random test, killing a May 19, 2012 Golden Boy card in Las Vegas. He was to be matched against Amir Khan.
The original RingTV story alleged Peterson tested positive for HCG after stopping Holt in the eighth round on Feb. 22 in Washington, DC. I expect Rosenthal and Schaefer had some awfully interesting conversations today. At some point we should be able to get the real scoop from the commission that oversaw the Holt-Peterson bout.
Ivan G. Goldman’s boxing novel The Barfighter was nominated as a 2009 Notable Book by the American Library Association. Information HERE
