Amir Khan granted rematch against Peterson

Lamont Peterson (R) won a controversial fight against Khan in December in Washington [GALLO/GETTY]

Amir Khan was granted a rematch against Lamont Peterson on Friday after the World Boxing Association found there were “multiple irregularities”, including questionable refereeing and an intrusion during the scoring.

Khan lost his WBA and IBF belts to Peterson on a split decision after being docked two points for pushing in the December 10 fight and he later also questioned the presence of a “mystery man” distracting judges at ringside.

The fight will be staged again within 180 days after the WBA concluded the December contest was “riddled with controversy as a result of a plethora of anomalies.”

“In its resolution mandating the rematch, the WBA went out of its way to note that, under normal circumstances, it would not disturb the discretionary function of a referee,” the organisation said in a statement.

“However, in this case, because of the multiple irregularities, it was necessary for it to order the rematch.”

“I can go out there a second time and prove to my fans I could have won it the first time” Amir Khan

It marks a victory for Khan’s camp, which has spent a month protesting the outcome. The British fighter said “April or May could be a good date for us.”

“I want to get that rematch and beat him,” he told Sky Sports.

“I can go out there a second time and prove to my fans I could have won it the first time.”

The WBA said it was “questionable” why referee Joseph Cooper docked Khan two points for “something for which points are almost never deducted” and did not count a knockdown.

Video also emerged earlier this month – highlighted by Khan’s camp – showing the presence of a “mystery man” distracting judges at ringside and then next to Peterson and his team as they celebrated the victory in the ring.

He was later identified as Mustafa Ameen but his appearance was unauthorised and he “seemingly communicated with fight officials throughout the fight,” the WBA said.

“As further cause to order the rematch, the WBA also pointed to Mr. Ameen’s apparent intrusion into the scoring process as well as possible discrepancies between the score sheets of the two sanctioning organisations and the local athletic commission,” the WBA statement said.